Doom: Hell Unleashed
by ginkies
Summary: Mars held demons for us all, there were days when I actually could put it all behind me. When I could almost ignore the nightmares that I saw every time I closed my eyes. That all changed when the call came. I thought I could make peace with my past, I thought I could end that chapter of my life. Hell is very real and it has awakened on Mars. God help us all. John/OC movieverse
1. Prologue

Fifteen Years Ago... Olduvai, Mars 2031

The dig was still new and exciting, not just for my father or the other archaeologist's, but for us kids too. We spent hours, days just looking at all the rocks and things they brought up from the dig. It just fuelled my passion to become just like my father, an archaeologist. My mother had died a year before my father was asked to work on the Olduvai dig on Mars. It hit both me and my father hard, she was caught up in a traffic accident, some drunk driver apparently. I had never been a popular kid, but after her death I pulled in on myself. I just stopped trying to reach out to people. I didn't see the point. I had no real friends in the school I was in and after a long talk, my father took the job. It had been the best thing to ever happen to me... or so I thought back then.

"Hey look at this Sam!" I cried out pointing to the table with the freshest batch of rocks from the dig. Sam bounded over to me, her blonde hair tied into long pig tails, her skirt and pink t-shirt mucky from the dirt we were playing with. To look at me and Sam you would probably think there would be no way we could be friends. I was chubby, with long chocolate hair, tied up and hidden by my baseball cap. I wore baggy boy's t-shirts and jeans ripped at the knees. Sam was a girly girl and I was a tom boy, yet we were best friends. There weren't that many kids on the dig so to find people who liked me, it amazed me. I had never really been popular or had many friends, with my fathers work we moved around a lot too, making it harder to find friends. I had always been the new kid, but when we moved to Olduvai, we were all the new kids. Something clicked with Sam, she just got me, and for the first time in a really long time I had friends. It changed my world.

"Wow Dani, it looks like a fossil! How cool is that John?" Sam beamed looking around for her twin brother. John walked round from another pile of rocks and raised an eyebrow. John had dark brown hair but the same hazel coloured eyes as Sam, he was a little taller than Sam. He was liked by nearly everyone on that dig. Both twins were popular with everyone on the dig.

"Hmm... it's ok." John remarked dryly, his attention drawn to the table. He picked up the fossil and seconds later dropped it to the floor, clutching his hand to his chest. "Ow!" He cried out in pain.

"What happened?!" Both me and Sam exclaimed at the same time. John took a tentative look at his hand and screwed up his face. He screwed his hand up and instantly brought it back to his chest. I noticed a thin red line forming in the creases of his fist.

"I cut it on the fossil. It looks bad." John hissed with his eyes screwed shut. I could see he was trying not to cry. John never really wanted to cry in front of Sam because she usually ended up crying too. I blamed it on the twin thing, John said it was because Sam was so sensitive.

"I'll go get mom!" Sam screamed running back to the other lab where their parents and my father worked together. I took a step closer to John and bit my lip. I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to do, but I knew I had to do something to help.

"Let me take a look." I tentatively said making John snap his eyes open. I stopped dead as his eyes locked on mine.

"What? Why?" John worriedly asked as I noticed his eyes watering. I felt really bad for John, I knew it must have hurt pretty bad to make him cry. We used to play rugby together and he never cried when he got tackled, ever. I took a deep breath and pulled myself together. I knew I had to be strong, to help John.

"Let me look would you?" I asked stubbornly. John didn't look convinced but he slowly reached his hand out to me. I took his hand in mine and opened it slowly. All I could see was the blood, but there was a lot there. There was a split second where I thought I was going to be sick. I glanced up at John and noticed him get paler. I swallowed the feeling and pushed all my feelings away so I could clean up the cut.

"See! Look how bad it is! I bet I'm going to lose my hand! I bet I get some alien infection and turn into a monster and die! I'm going to die! Oh man I don't want to die! I'm way too young to die Dani! I have dreams! Plans! I don't want to die Dani, not by some freaky alien infection! Oh god what if my hand gets a life of it's own?!" John cried out loudly, sounding genuinely worried about his hand growing a life of it's own. I looked up from his hand with the most unimpressed expression I could muster. I knew John liked to be dramatic but it was the first time I'd seen him go overboard like that. He paused, his hazel eyes locking on mine for a beat while he took in my expression. "Sorry- but it hurts!" John pouted as I just shook my head, hiding a smirk. I went into my back pocket and pulled out a first aid kit.

"Let me wash it." I coaxed John, leading him by the wrist to the sink and ran cold water over the cut to get a better look. John tried to pull his hand back as the water stung the cut.

"Dani it's hurting." John whimpered gritting his teeth, he kept glancing at his hand, hissing then looked away.

"Just hold on." I said reassuringly while reaching over the sink and grabbing some paper towels. I pattered it dry and noticed it was a deep nasty cut across his palm. As soon as I wiped the water away fresh blood was coming out. "Hold this on it." I said pulling John's other hand over the paper towels while I opened my first aid kit and pulled out a bandage.

"You know, if this was Sam she'd be screaming by now." John muttered as I smirked at him. Sam wasn't the best with blood and guts stuff, she preferred things less _icky_.

"I know." I giggled a little taking the paper towels and throwing them into the sink. They landed with a sodden thump and I ignored the fact they were soaked in John's blood.

"You're weird Dani." John announced as I wrapped the bandage round his hand. I looked up with the same unimpressed expression on my face. "I mean, I mean you're not like Sam. Not that I want you to be like Sam. You're not freaked out by the blood. I mean... you're not like the other girls here. You're more like the boys, yeah you're like a boy. But, but I mean obviously you're not. Not in a mean way, just you're a girl, and you act like a boy, and-" John tripped over his words as I went back to the bandage. I glanced back up and noticed he was blushing slightly. Something stirred in my stomach, a flutter of butterflies. John was the heart throb of the dig, all the girls bar his sister had a massive crush on him. And here he was telling me, that maybe he liked me. I smirked as I wrapped the bandage around his hand.

"Girl." I muttered as I met his eyes again. "So, you need stitches, but it's all cleaned up now. I think it's safe to say you'll live and wont get an alien infection Mr Grimm." I added smirking with a goofy smile. John rolled his eyes as Sam and their mother came rushing into the room with their dad and my dad seconds later.

"Are you ok baby?" John's mother asked as everyone gathered around. The worry was clear on her face. Everyone looked worried for John, I could only imagine the story Sam had told them. She could be a little dramatic at times.

"Yeah mom, it's just a cut." John drawled rolling his eyes acting like it was nothing. I caught his eye and rolled my own eyes. _If only everyone had heard what he was saying a few minutes ago..._

"Who put the bandage on?" John's dad asked looking around with a confused expression on his face.

"I did Doctor Grimm." I whispered softly and Sam pulled me into a tight hug. She knocked the air out of my lungs as she hugged me.

"You saved his life!" Sam squealed hugging me like I had done something amazing, like brain surgery, not just cleaning it and putting a bandage on.

"That's my girl." My dad beamed smiling at me. In the mean time Mrs Doctor Grimm had inspected the bandage.

"You want to be a doctor when you grow up sweetie?" She asked smiling at me. Her arm wrapped around John's shoulders protectively. Suddenly everyone was looking at me and I felt a little nervous. I glanced at my father as he nodded with a small smile.

"No ma'am, I'm going to be an archaeologist here on Mars." I smirked proudly as he squeezed my shoulder a little. I knew my father was proud of me, it the best feeling in the world.

"Then how did you know to do this?" Doctor Grimm asked looking at his son's hand impressed. Both Grimm parents where so impressed with my first aid skills.

"My dad taught me. You always gotta be ready for anything on dig, right dad?" I asked, repeating my fathers quote to me, beaming at my father.

"Right baby." He smirked back, ruffling my hat slightly.

"Well Marcus, looks like we don't need to be here." Doctor Grimm shrugged to my father. "Your little lady took care of everything."

"Well I think the our little paramedic should take John down to medical, just in case he needs stitches." Mrs Doctor Grimm said smiling at us.

"Me too?" Sam asked feeling left out.

"Yeah Sam! I mean who went to get help? Without you anything could have happened!" Doctor Grimm added making his little girl grin.

"Ok you three, head back. And remember to be careful!" Mrs Doctor Grimm said sternly.

"Yes mom." The twins said at the same time before she gave them both a hug and a kiss. My dad pulled me to the side and gave me a big hug too.

"That's my girl. See you later alligator." My dad said letting me go.

"In a while crocodile." I replied smiling.

Who would of thought minutes later my whole world would have been tipped on it's head and everything, my new perfect life would have been snatched away from me by the movement of a few dumb rocks?


	2. Redemption's First Steps

Present Day... California, Earth, 2046.

Six hours ago I was enjoying the start of leave when I got a call on my emergency phone. Just like that I was flown cross country and I was ready for a mission. That was life in the RRTS. More times than not, you were called off of leave for an emergency mission. Walking into the building was simple enough, finding one Gunnery Sargent Asher Mahonin was even simpler, after all he was the one bitching about me.

"What do you mean I need to take a female in? I need a medic damn it, one who can shoot! I don't need a distraction on this! My men haven't had leave in six months, and you want to throw them this!" The Gunny shouted back, his voice booming down the corridors. I paused mid step and took a deep breath preparing myself for the onslaught I was about to face. Luckily the men he was talking about where loud enough that they didn't hear his shouting. It sounded like they were restless, joking around by the odd laughter I heard.

"_Listen Sarge you asked for someone who was a medic and knew their way around Olduvai. She's the only one we could find with such short notice. You're choice is her or Reaper._" The male voice replied as I walked down the corridor towards the Gunny's office.

"But a woman? Does she even have combat training? Can she handle a weapon?" The Gunny demanded in a frustrated sigh. I reached his office and saw a pair of broad shoulders with the words Semper Fi tattooed across his back. He was clearly muscular, with caramel coloured skin and short dark brown hair. I could tell he was tall too, which I had learnt most Marines were.

"Yes sir, I can." I spoke up making him turn to me, slightly thrown off balance from my presence. His eyes were wide for all of three seconds while he took in my frame, stance and general appearance. I had my hair tied up into a bun on the back of my head, I was in the standard grey-green RRTS t-shirt with my units insignia on the right hand breast bone area, and black combat trousers with my combat boots. Nothing on his face gave away what he thought about me and I was ok with that. Marines were always tough cookies to read.

"_Look Sarge, she's all we've got. We don't have time to argue. Take her and get the mission done, over._" The male voice barked, making Sarge turn back to the console.

"Understood. Over." Sarge sighed before grabbing a t-shirt and slipped it on. He stood and I was right, he was a big guy. "So your Dani McKenzie?" Sarge asked walking over to me and trying the usual macho bull of trying to intimidate me with his size. I wasn't the tallest person in the world sure, but I was like a bulldog; once I got my teeth in, I never backed down.

"Yes sir, you can call me Bones. You must be Gunnery Sargent Mahonin?" I confidently asked extending my hand for him to shake. Sarge looked surprised for a second by my action, but took it in his stride.

"You can call me Sarge." He replied with a firm handshake. Sarge put a little squeeze in, testing my pain levels or just to prove a point. Either way the aggression was in the action.

"Sarge it is." I agreed refusing to let his little flex of strength knock my game. "May I speak freely Sarge?" I asked letting my hand fall to the side of me. Part of me wanted to flex my hand from the squeeze, but I knew I had to keep up the hard ass attitude I was trying to project.

"Sure." Sarge mused cocking an eyebrow with interest. I wasn't sure if Sarge was used to people speaking their mind or was just surprised that someone who just met him wanted to speak openly to him. Either way I think I might have made an instant impression.

"I passed basic in the top two percentile, I excelled at both hand to hand combat and weapons training. I am a damn good solider. I have been head hunted by RRTS team alpha and turned it down to remain a field doctor. I am the best field medic sir and one of the damn best soldiers you'll see." I stated plainly holding my confidence. A smirk crossed Sarge's lips as he nodded a little, hopefully impressed.

"I read your file McKenzie, I've seen your record and I agree you're a good solider on paper." Sarge admitted pausing for a second as his hard brown eyes locked on mine. I took a breath, I wasn't expecting him to cave so easy. "Saying that, these men haven't seen a woman in six months, they've been cooped up. They're expecting shore leave that ain't going to happen now. The last thing I need on this mission is some skirt distracting them when I need them sharp." And just like the fight I had expected started. I let out a small chuckle to myself before looking straight back into Sarge's eyes. In response Sarge cocked an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed with my chuckle.

"I'm sorry Sarge, but do you see a skirt?" I protested looking at my legs that were covered in combat trousers and boots. "I don't. Hell all I see when I look in the mirror is a field medic. Now I know you and your men might not like the fact I have boobs but I can handle my own. From the briefing I've had, you need me. Not the other way round. You need someone who knows Olduvai, and you need a medic. I'm both." I grunted folding my arms over my chest. For the best part of ten years I had fought to be where I was, and I put up with way more sexist pigs so I wasn't going to let Sarge better me.

"I have someone who does both." Sarge stated, the smallest of smirks on his lips. I got the feeling he liked me standing up to him.

"That so? Then why was my leave revoked and why was I flown here?" I questioned cocking my head to the side. The Sarge lost his smile as his eyes narrowed on me. It was a scary ass glare he was giving me and I had to muster all my self control not to flinch as his stare weighed down on me. Before I caved under that weight I spoke, my voice coming out surprisingly strong. "Thought so. Now, don't we have a mission to complete, sir?" I requested standing straight. My heart raced as Sarge stood there for a few minutes still glaring at me. I wasn't sure if I had pushed it too far but I stood my ground. Finally his glared finished and the smile returned to his face.

"See you don't take no shit McKenzie." Sarge smirked as his stance relaxed. I felt a wave of relief wash over me. Sarge was one scary mother-fucker, someone I did not want to get on the wrong side of.

"No sir." I replied relaxing myself, my arms going to behind my back. As my hand went round my back, I flexed my hand, the muscles screaming at the pressure Sarge had put on it during the handshake.

"Good, you're going to need that attitude on RRTS Six." Sarge stated watching me carefully. He was still weighing me up, the way he put up some kind of guard was telling me that he wasn't sure I was going to last the mission.

"So I passed?" I asked smirking slightly. The tension in the room had all dissipated and I felt like I could actually breath again.

"Welcome to the team Bones." Sarge nodded to me, slapping my arm. I stumbled forward a little with the force in his slap making Sarge smirk a little wider.

* * *

><p>I fallowed Sarge to the barracks, down a set of metal stairs where the men were waiting restlessly for their leave. You could hear them long before you got to the stairs, they were all excited for leave from what I could tell. It took me a matter of seconds to take them all in as I stood behind Sarge and slightly to the side so I could get a better view of them all.<p>

The nearest to me was a tall African American man, dark skin, shaven head, muscles on muscles. He had just slid a baseball bat into a bag as he turned to us. His expression gave nothing away. He looked like the bruiser type though, the muscles of the team.

The next guy I spotted was another African American man, slightly smaller and his skin was slightly lighter, he was stood watching us from the side of his cot. He clearly checked me out and liked what he saw as he gave me a quick smile before his eyes darted to Sarge. As soon as his eyes landed on Sarge he was all business.

The next man I spotted made a shiver run through my spine. He looked like a creep. He was wearing a horrible blue Hawaiian shirt and white shoes, his hair was thinning and he had a smile that made my skin crawl. I quickly glanced away from the creep.

I repressed the shiver as I looked behind him and saw an Asian American man watch me, he was taller than the creep, probably the same height as the smaller African American guy. He had short spiky hair and another poker face. I was getting a theme from the guys in this unit, they were all business.

There was a man with his back to me, a pale green shirt, it looked like he was working on something at the table. It was like he didn't even acknowledge our presence. I paused on him for a moment, wondering why he didn't want to turn around and pay attention. I pondered if he was the black sheep of the team.

In front of him was a taller, thin man, but not creepy like the dude in the Hawaiian shirt. He was about the creeps same age but completely different demeanour. This guy was holding a bible and had short spiky mousey brown hair. He gave me a small nod as our eyes met.

Then on the cot nearest us was a bit of a kid. He really did have a baby face, wide eyes and almost curly short hair. He was keen to hear what was about to happen and why Sarge was there waiting for it all to be told.

I could see in all their eyes that they hadn't seen a woman in a while but only the creep actually made me uncomfortable. I noticed Sarge glance at me, I knew he was testing my reaction so I kept up my poker face, standing with my arms behind my back as relaxed as best I could with all those eyes on me.

"Listen up men." Sarge announced, making the guy at the back turn to face us. I caught his eye straight away and tried not to smile at him. John was surprised to see me, and because he was at the back, he let it show on his face. His hazel eyes were so wide. It had been years since I caused that reaction in those eyes. I got a little kick from making him react like that. We moved further into the room, down the stairs. I felt like a prize being shown off rather than a new, if temporary member of RRTS- Six.

"Sarge, did you bring us a parting gift?" The creep in the Hawaiian shirt sneered licking his lips as he looked at me. The glint in his eyes had me moving for my knife, but I had left it with my gear when I reached the base. "A stripper?" He speculated hopefully. I noticed John tighten his grip on his chair, clearly disapproving of the sleaze making comments about me, but before he could speak someone else did.

"Portman!" The man with the bible growled at the creep, Portman. From the sigh Portman gave, it was clear he was used to being chastised for his behaviour towards women, something I wasn't surprised about in the slightest.

"What?" Portman drawled dragging the word out longer than he needed to as his eyes raked over me. I gave the smallest glance to Sarge who in turn gave me a small nod. I faked a small girly laugh and walked over to Portman, making sure I swung my hips a little. I felt sick with the way his eyes lit up as I moved over to him. I stopped just short of the creep and smirked. I knew everyone was watching me because I could feel their eyes on me.

"Oh sugar, if you're looking for strippers try Vegas," I teased changing my attitude in an instant, back to the Marine I was. "This is the RRTS. The women here kick your ass for breakfast." I barked as the rest of the men let out a chuckle. Portman glanced at the others, a cocky smirk appearing on his lips. Again clearly Portman was used to women giving him some attitude.

"Well baby, if you wanna kick my ass you're gonna need to lick my balls first." Portman bit back in a heart beat. This stopped the chuckles and I could feel the tension build in the room. I smirked nodding my head, glancing to his trousers before meeting his eyes again. I noticed Portman lick his lips as I glanced, the man was disgusting. I grabbed his balls and crushed them with one hand.

"When you grow some, let me know." I smirked walking away as Portman fell to the floor. The rest of the guys were laughing, apart from John, I noticed him just watch me. He gave me not quiet a disapproving look, but he definitely wasn't smiling like the rest. I reached Sarge's side again and stood smirking as Portman's eyes were watering. Sarge gave me a look of approval. I had passed another test it appeared.

"Portman, get your Hick ass off the floor." The smaller of the two Africa American men laughed as the guy with the bible tipped his head to me. Clearly most of the men approved of the way I handled myself. I knew with Marines, you had to prove yourself from the bat and not shy away. I needed them to trust and work with me, this was the quickest way to prove yourself when you're a woman in the RRTS I found.

"Sarge, that bitch just-" Portman started to whine when Sarge cut him off.

"Get up Portman! Leave has been cancelled." Sarge announced and I felt the mood of the barrack drop like a rock. The guy with the bible went to put his dog tags back on, while the guy who had checked me out and smiled turned his back on us muttering something. "You got a problem with that Duke?" Sarge barked at the man, Duke. Duke turned back to us, putting on his dog tags, his expression as crushed as his eyes locked with Sarge.

"Me Sarge? Hell no, I love my job." Duke replied slightly sarcastically.

"What's up Sarge?" The Asian American guy asked interested in what had cancelled his leave. They all seemed to pause and glance at Sarge, waiting for an answer.

"We got us a game." Sarge smirked and almost like a flick of a switch the mood had changed. Everyone was on high alert, it was clear that this team ran on the adrenaline rush a mission gave them. Sarge turned to the bit of a kid and smirked. "Kid, son you are now in the Rapid Response Tactical Squad. The double R-T-S, and what do we do in the RRTS?" Sarge asked everyone. The response was one I had heard many times from other teams I had worked in.

"Pray for war!" Everyone shouted with passion, a smirk crossed my lips as the men went from deflated to elated in the space of five words.

"Men, this is Sargent Dani McKenzie, she's a field medic doctor. She's joining us on this one, on loan from the double R-T-S-17." Sarge announced. I noticed a few of the guys glanced to John who looked slightly confused. "Fall in!" Sarge barked and the men started to move to the stairs.

"Pleasure meeting you ma'am, I'm Goat." Goat, the man with the bible announced as he walked over to me. I shook his hand and returned the smile. He seemed nice enough and at least he knew how to respect women. I noticed Sarge walk over to John and talk to him softly.

"You can call me Bones." I nodded warmly before he headed up the stairs.

"Ma'am." The Kid said tipping his head to me, fallowing Goat. The Kid was a kid, he had such a baby face and it just looked younger the closer you got to him.

"Nice meeting you Bones, I'm Mac." Mac, the Asian America said with a warm smile.

"Hey Mac." I replied making a mental note to ask about his name later. Portman walked past me, scowling at me. I held back a smirk as he glared at me. The taller African American man cleared his throat behind Portman and made him move up the stairs with a bit of a haste.

"Destroyer." The man boomed with a small nod. Everything about the guy screamed power and strength. He was a machine of a man.

"That a name or an attitude?" I asked smirking a little at how fitting his name seemed to be.

"Both." Destroyer smirked before fallowing Portman up the stairs. Duke walked over to me with a wide grin. Now Duke had been checking me out since I walked in, but unlike Portman, Duke didn't make my skin crawl.

"Damn girl, you sure showed Portman. Would hate to get on the bad side of you, Duke." Duke said offering me his hand. I shook it and smiled, clearly Duke was the mouth of the unit.

"He's not my first. I can handle myself." I replied honestly, shrugging my shoulders slightly.

"I see that. Damn." Duke smirked looking me up and down. "Damn." He muttered again before fallowing Destroyer up the stairs. This left me, John and Sarge in the room. I walked over to them as John was looking straight at Sarge.

"Why do we need two field medic's? We expecting some trouble?" John asked firmly, a gun in his hand. It looked like he was in the middle of cleaning it up.

"No John, we're taking this one without you." Sarge replied carefully. John cocked an eyebrow and glanced at me. I kept my face neutral as I looked back into his questioning eyes.

"You're bullshitting me." John replied looking straight back to Sarge when he got no response from me.

"No, I'm not bullshitting. We're going to Olduvai." Sarge replied plainly. I saw the fleeting look of fear cross John's eyes before he turned to me.

"You're going back?" He asked me, there was a hint of accusation in his question. I shifted slightly before answering.

"They need help John. If it wasn't for people like this fifteen years ago, you me and Samantha wouldn't have made it out alive. I owe them." I replied softly as I glanced to the floor. I really did feel like I owed something to the military since they sent in a team very similar to the RRTS to collected survivors. I guess that was partly why I joined up, the other half of the reason was stood opposite me almost glaring at me.

"Bullshit, you don't owe them anything Dani." John replied shaking his head as I looked back up at him. He was scared of Olduvai, it held so many scars for both of us. Scars neither of us had ever really healed from.

"I have to go John. It was either you or me. Let me take this one." I begged softly hoping to get through to him. John just searched my eyes for any reason to trust me, to believe me.

"Take the leave." Sarge butted in making us both turn to him.

"Is that an order?" John asked firmly his attention finally on someone else other than me for a second. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. John could be quiet intimidating when he wanted to be, and over the years he had just become more of a hard ass it seemed.

"It's a recommendation." Sarge grunted. "I'll see you when I get back." Sarge added before glancing at me. "Wheel's up in twenty Bones."

"Sir." I replied watching Sarge run up the stairs. I sighed and turned to John who returned to the table. "How you doing?" I asked softly moving to his side leaning on the edge of the table so I was facing him. John didn't say anything, he just worked on cleaning his gun. I let out a small sigh. "I didn't see you at Jumpers funeral." I remarked softly making John look up at me with hurt in his eyes. Jumper was a friend we had been in training with. He and John had ended up in the 6th while I was shipped to the 17th. John was his best friend, and when Jumper died in the mission, John took full blame on himself. I knew that just by the look in John's eyes.

"Didn't go." He stated plainly before looking back down to his gun. He had all his focus on the weapon in his hands as he cleaned it. I knew John wouldn't be taking Jumpers death well, hell I wasn't sure I had taken it that well.

"I'm sorry, I saw him on my last leave." I sadly offered my condolences as John continued to clean the gun. "We went out for a few drinks..." I fought to say, the lump catching in my throat as I thought about Jumper. Me and Jumper we had a special kind of relationship, I was the only woman during training that he didn't sleep with and it wasn't for the lack of trying. Me, Jumper and John used to hang out all the time and when it came to competing we were always top three. I looked down at my hands while I tried to regain my tough guy outer shell. I didn't need to break down, not when I had Sarge to impress and a new team to convince to trust me. I had to be a tough ass Marine, just like the rest of them. During the silence I felt John look at me. I always knew when John was watching me, no matter if I could see him or not. It was hard to explain, but I just knew. I glanced over my shoulder and he was watching me as if I was a puzzle, he shook his head and went back to cleaning his gun.

"Dani you know what happened up there, and you still wanna go back?" John asked without even looking at me. His focus was on the gun he was cleaning. His tone was as even as it could be, but I knew there was a rage bubbling inside him.

"John, it was an accident." I repeated like a robot. It didn't even sound like I convinced myself, but it was the line that was rammed down our throats. It had all been a terrible accident, one which the UAC promised to learn from; not that it brought my father back, John's parents, the lives of everyone who was crushed to death.

"They all died Dani." John ground out still looking at the gun he was cleaning. There was something in his voice, the undertone was harsh, the anger was still very much within him.

"We didn't." I pointed out softly looking down at the floor. This was the first time we had talked about Olduvai sober, usually these talks involved way too much alcohol and not enough sleep.

"Yeah, lucky us." He scoffed glancing at me. The hurt was clear in his eyes. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly pushing myself away from the edge of the table. I knew John as well as anyone, and I knew when he wasn't going to listen any more.

"I'm going back John. There are people that need my help. Just... take the leave like Sarge said." I begged before turning to walk out of the barracks.

"Be safe Dani." John yelled after to me. I stopped and turned back to see him turned in his chair watching me. The worry was on his face easy to read, but there was fear shining in his hazel green eyes.

"You too John." I echoed with a small smile before walking out of the barracks.


	3. New Team, Old Attitudes

A quick change and I was ready to go. That change involved putting my vest on and making sure I had my emergency medical kits, I was wearing my RRTS-17 insignia, a black spider with a combat knife cutting right through it. Below the insignia was my Sargent stripes and below that on both arms were the international sign for medic, a circle with red cross on a white background. I sighed realising the RRTS-17 insignia was going to make me stand out from the rest, I was tempted to remove it, but I was proud to be a member of the 17th. I finished gearing up and I was back with the guys heading towards the tarmac. Sarge led us up to the helipad with Portman and Goat fallowing, then Duke and Destroyer and me and The Kid at the rear. I noticed The Kid looked wide eyed at everything we were doing. He reminded me of myself on my first mission so much. Everything was so awe inspiring and amazing, it was all too much to take in that I was finally in a real mission. I smirked to myself remembering how green I was back then. A part of me wished I was so naïve still but then I wouldn't be the solider I was today.

"Great vacation, damn they go quick." Duke chortled sarcastically as we walked along the corridor.

"Almost like we'd never been away." Destroyer joined in with the sarcasm, the pair sharing a grin as we headed to the roof. I glanced at the Kid who gave me a weak smile.

"Your first mission?" I inquired softly as we made our way up the stairs.

"I've passed all my training." The Kid informed me, as if training could prepare you for a mission on Olduvai. I nodded softly, the smallest smile on my lips.

"Don't worry Kid, first ones always the worst." I retorted as we reached the tarmac. There was a chopper waiting for us, the flight crew doing their final checks as we reached it. Sarge stood by the side of the chopper as we all climbed in and took our weapons. I prayed that they had managed to ship my baby over in time. As we all took our weapons a robotic female confirmed our handle I. D's.

"_RRTS Special Ops Unit Verified. Handle ID Destroyer._" The voice stated as Destroyer picked up his large chain gun, placing it on his lap as he sat.

"Daddy's home." Destroyer smirked as he sat down. On most people the gun would look large, me, ridiculously large, yet on Destroyer given his size, it suited him.

"_RRTS Special Ops Unit Verified. Handle ID Mac._" The voice stated as Mac took his weapons and sat opposite Destroyer. Silently he stroked his gun almost like it was a ritual.

"_RRTS Special Ops Unit Verified. Handle ID Goat._" The voice stated as Goat picked up his single barrelled shotgun and silently sat down next to Destroyer. He crossed himself before crossing his weapon, his mouth moving silently as he said a prayer.

"_RRTS Special Ops Unit Verified. Handle ID Portman._" The voice stated as Portman grinned picking up his assault rifle and sitting down opposite Goat.

"_RRTS Special Ops Unit Verified. Handle ID Duke._" The voice stated as Duke picked up his assault rifle.

"Say my name baby." Duke smirked as he sat down next to Portman. I was next, noticing a nice P90 sat waiting for me. I said a silent prayer of thanks that they managed to get to me in time.

"_RRTS Special Ops Unit Verified. Handle ID Bones._" The voice stated as I picked up my P90 and took my seat opposite Duke and Portman. He was still scowling at me, but I choose to ignore it. The Kid fallowed me on the chopper and picked up his assault rifle.

"_RRTS Special Ops Unit Verified. Handle ID The Kid._" The voice stated and The Kid looked utterly confused.

"The kid?" He asked looking at all of us who in turn just shrugged our shoulders. The Kid took his seat next to Sarge as he climbed on board.

"_RRTS Special Ops Unit Verified. Hand ID Sarge._" The voice stated as he picked up his heavy assault rifle.

"I can't believe we're going through the Ark." The Kid gulped looking to the guys as I sat back in my seat. He was clearly anxious about the trip, I couldn't blame him, many people were weary of going through the Ark.

"Don't worry Kid, you're going to love it." Duke replied closing his eyes and relaxing into his seat. The Kid glanced at me looking scared of Ark travel. I couldn't blame him, it wasn't exactly the best mode of transportation in the world. In fact I hated Ark travel but there was no getting around it, we needed to take it to get to Olduvai.

"All set?" Sarge barked looking at all of us.

"Yes Sir!" Everyone replied as I said a silent prayer. Flying wasn't my favourite method of transportation but I had got better at it, I no longer threw up. Sarge moved to close the door when a hand appeared. Everyone turned to see John climb into the chopper, glancing from Sarge to the rest of us. He walked over to his assault rifle and picked it up.

"_RRTS Special Ops Unit Verified. Handle ID Reaper._" The voice stated and I rolled my eyes at his handle. So Marines weren't exactly poets, but it did kind of fit John. John took his the seat next to me, giving me a quick nod as he sat down. Sarge sealed the door and took the last seat next to Portman.

"Take us up." Sarge barked to the pilot who started to take us up. I took a deep breath as I heard the pilot confirm us setting off.

"_RRTS Unit Six en route._" The pilots voice came over our comms. I closed my eyes for a few seconds while I convinced myself that I wasn't going to empty my stomach on Portman. No matter how fun it would have been.

"Hey Bones, you're not scared of a little turbulence are you?" Portman's voice carried over the hum of the chopper. That kick of pleasure he was getting from my discomfort, clear in his voice. I opened my eyes and was met with his creepy ass smile. He was lent forward watching me as he licked his lips.

"Hell Portman, I love riding big things." I winked seductively. "Shame you don't fall into that category." I added making some of the guys laugh. Portman scowled at me again, sitting back in his seat folding his arms over his chest as he pouted slightly.

"That's two for two Portman, looks like you've met your match." Goat pipped up before returning to reading his bible. I sat back and felt Reaper's eyes on me, I turned to him with an arched eyebrow as he popped some gum in his mouth.

"Something you wanna ask, _Reaper_?" I asked smirking at his name, shaking my head a little.

"A few things actually _Bones_." Reaper smirked at me. I shrugged closing my eyes for a few minutes while we hit turbulence. My heart raced as the chopper swayed with the turbulence but I pushed through the fear, knowing Reaper was still watching me.

"You gotta respect the classics! Star Trek is awesome, plus McKenzie, McCoy, both awesome doctors- what other handle would fit me?" I joked keeping my eyes shut until we smoothed out again.

"You _still_ scared of flying?" Reaper asked softly, smirking at my explanation for my handle as I opened one eye looking over to him.

"Scared? No." I lied shaking my head as I opened my other eye and I lent closer to him. "I just prefer to have my feet on the soil." I added with a small smile.

"Uh huh." Reaper replied smirking back at me, before shaking his head. Clearly not believing a word I had said. In that moment we were in our own little world. It was like we were back in training, joking around and seeing who was going to blink first.

"Hey, you two know each other?" Duke asked watching us talk. Both me and Reaper turned to Duke with blank expressions. Everyone, apart from Goat and Sarge were paying attention to our conversation it appeared.

"We grew up together." Reaper replied plainly, before sitting back in his seat. When it came to talking to the team, I noticed Reaper didn't mince his words.

"Though some of us were always more mature than others." I teased as I sat back too earning a small glare from Reaper. I shrugged my shoulders and gave him an innocent smile. The chopper went quiet for a few minutes before Portman lent forward towards Kid while he untangled his headphones.

"You know Kid, it's funny. Couple of days ago I asked Sarge for a little pussy." Portman said wiggling his eyebrows getting Kids full attention. "And the very next day he brought you onto the team." Portman snarked at The Kid, with that same sick smile on his face. I tensed up knowing that I couldn't stand up for The Kid, teasing was the way of discovering the pecking order. If you couldn't stand up for yourself, especially if you were a woman, then you got no respect and in turn little trust. It didn't mean that I wouldn't have liked to kick Portman in the balls.

"Don't give me an excuse Portman, no one here would miss you." Reaper called out from the side of me. It was nice to know John was the same as I remembered him. Always sticking up for the underdog. Portman sighed sitting back in his seat again, looking anywhere but in the direction of me and Reaper. I glanced at Kid to see if he was alright, but he was too busy checking his gun. I knew he was new and that it wouldn't take him long to stick up for himself. Sarge got up and walked past all of us to the head of the chopper, everyone's eyes fallowing his movements.

"Look in men. This is what we got from Sitcom. We have a quarantine situation on Olduvai. They sent this message when the research team stopped responding to all communication." Sarge explained as he inserted a disk in to play.

"Olduvai?" Goat muttered looking really unhappy about going there, as the men looked at each other with similar expressions. I caught Reaper's eye and we shared a look. Neither of us wanted to go back, not really. It was the place both our lives fell off the rails. But there we were, heading right back to Hell. I was convincing myself it was for noble actions, I was going to pay off an overdue ledger. I was going to save people, help. But deep down I knew it was because I wanted closure. I wanted to end that chapter of my life and start a fresh one. Visiting the dig site, the place it happened would do that. I hoped. Looking at Reaper I knew there was only one reason why he would be heading back... Samantha Jessica Grimm.

"_This is Doctor Carmack at Classified Research,Olduvai. ID 6627._" The picture showed a very pale, scared old man looking straight into the camera. The fear was easy to see in his eyes. The good doctor paused and looked over his shoulder, in the background you could hear pounding on the door. "_We have a level five breach! Implement quarantine procedures now! I repeat, implement quarantine procedures now!_" Doctor Carmack stated looking over his shoulder to the noise as the screen went black.

"UAC have shut down the lab men. We need to go up there and locate the team, eliminate the threat and secure the facility." Sarge explained as he took the disk out. His eyes roamed from one member of the team to the next. He was making sure everyone understood what we were about to do.

"What threat?" Kid asked looking at the rest of us. Before anyone else could speak Duke sat forward to answer him.

"It goes like this see, if it's tryin' to kill ya, it's a threat." Duke replied as the rest of us let out a small laugh. Sarge smirked, ruffling Kid's hair as he returned to his seat. We fell into a silence while we all checked out weapons again. I checked my clips then my medical kits. I had noticed the blood on Dr. Carmack's shoulder, it meant people were hurt. With quarantine in place it also meant that we could have something highly infectious on our hands. I had walked into situations blind before, but my stomach dropped thinking about walking into Olduvai unprepared. I took a deep breath checking my medical supplies.

"Any of you been there before?" The Kid asked looking at us. I noticed Sarge lean forward to talk to Reaper.

"What Olduvai?" Duke clarified shaking his head as the guys all looked at each other.

"Isn't that where that accident was fifteen years ago?" The Kid mumbled nervously looking at the rest of us. I gripped my quick clot in my hand tighter as the guys started to talk about the 'accident' that changed everything for me.

"Wasn't it just a rock fall?" Portman questioned looking over at the Kid. "You ain't scared of a few falling rocks are ya Kid?" He teased smirking as the Kid shifted in his seat. Before anyone else could speak the lights turned red in the chopper. I noticed Sarge slap Reapers arm before sitting back in his seat.

"Look alive men! Game time!" Sarge announced as the chopper started to land. It wasn't the first time I'd been one of the men, I took it as a compliment that Sarge had forgot I was a woman. The chopper touched the ground with a thud and I closed my eyes for a second rethinking the whole plan of throwing up on Portman. I herd his snigger and opened my eyes, darting them straight to him. Portman blew me a kiss as we all stood, I just rolled my eyes praying that on the flight back I'd be able to throw up on him. After the mission I was planning to return to my own unit so it wouldn't matter what the guys thought of me. But right now I needed to know that trust could work both ways. The doors opened and we all piled out into the cold air of the night desert.


	4. The Gates Of Hell

Sarge was first off the chopper fallowed by me and Reaper, Kid and Portman, Duke Destroyer and finally Mac and Goat. We walked away from the chopper standing in formation without a word. Sarge was in the middle with Reaper, me, Duke and Kid to his right and Goat, Mac, Portman and Destroyer on his left.

"Halt!" Sarge yelled holding up a fist as we all stopped dead. I stole a glance at Reaper as we shared the same expression. I felt something in my stomach turn as the ground started to shake and out of seemingly nowhere the earth opened up as the opening to the lift appeared. The silver monolith broke in two as an actual lift appeared and the doors opened. "Move in." Sarge barked as we all started to move towards the lift and on instinct I tightened my grip on my P90. We climbed into the tightly packed lift, and I turned to see Kid jogging to catch us up. Sarge pulled him into the lift and got into his face. "You hesitate, people die." Sarge growled at Kid. He had that same hard ass glare on his face he gave me, I hated to think what the Kid was thinking in that moment. It wasn't uncalled for though, we all knew if you hesitated people did die. I took in a small breath as the doors shut and we started to descend the floors in seconds. Portman was stood behind me, he was so close I swear I could feel his breath on the back of my neck. I gripped my P90 tighter as I tapped my finger on the side of the trigger. To the left of me, I noticed Reaper raise an eyebrow as he noticed my tapping. I met his gaze and darted backwards, Reaper fallowed and glared at Portman. Clearly he wasn't looking at Reaper as I continued to feel his breath on my neck. It made my skin crawl, actually crawl and I just wanted to get out of the lift.

"Eyes front Portman!" Reaper barked making Portman jump slightly, I figured he was checking out my ass, not something I really wanted to think about if I was honest.

"What's a matter Reaper, she your girl or something?" Portman drawled, his lazy accusation making a tension rise in the confined space.

"Portman." Goat hummed in a warning tone.

"What, a man's allowed to ask ain't he?" Portman asked Goat as Sarge glared at me. I knew this was exactly what he didn't want. I let out a heavy sigh as I moved my finger away from the trigger. Today wasn't the day I was going to _accidentally_ shoot a team mate.

"Yeah Portman, a _man_ is, yet your the only one here talking, go figure?" I replied, keeping my face forward.

"Don't worry girlie I am more than enough man for you." Portman whispered leaning closer to me, and talking into my ear. It was taking everything I had not to turn and punch him in the face. I felt Reaper tense up next to me and I prayed he'd let me handle Portman. If any of the guys stepped in it would under mind any trust and equality I was slowly building with the team. That and it would really piss off Sarge, something I didn't want to happen.

"Not from what I felt." I smirked as I spoke, I heard a soft chuckle break out through the lift. Portman opened his mouth to say more when Sarge cut him off.

"Enough. We're the R-R-T-S, not hormonal teenagers." Sarge growled as everyone shifted and stood to attention again. "Better." Sarge smirked slightly as we continued to descend.

* * *

><p>The doors opened to reveal the lobby. In fifteen years it didn't look any different. There were three corridors that led to the left and right or straight ahead. It felt so familiar watching people, scientists run around together trying to understand what was happening. Most were confused, a little scared. It brought back memories I had almost repressed. My hand gripped my P90 harder as I focused on Reaper's back. I knew if I looked around too much I wouldn't be able to focus on the mission. A tall man moved from behind the main reception and headed straight for us, a pleasant smile plastered on his face. He looked like he had smiled for a living.<p>

"Sandford Crosby, UAC public relations." Sandford introduced himself, holding his hand out for Sarge to shake. Sarge totally ignored his hand and instead gave the hard ass stare. Sandford, to his credit, only faulted slightly. "Fallow me, please." He stated leading the way to the Ark.

"How many people do you have up there?" Reaper asked as we fallowed the man. All the members of the RRTS were on the game. They were ready for the mission, taking in a good understanding of their surroundings.

"UAC houses eighty-five permanent research staff on Olduvai, and their families." Sandford replied plainly as he led the way, he was just another face of the UAC, someone who believed all the crap they came out with.

"Any reports of casualties?" I queered pushing past the thought of being a scared, lost child up there. I had experienced it once, reliving it wasn't going to help anyone. Sandford blinked in confusion, I wasn't sure he realised I was there before I spoke. Sarge and Reaper were both hiding my presence with their size.

"None that we are aware of, however we did lose contact with the research team." Sandford informed me with a quick nod as we reached the Ark room. It was a two storey room all in white, pillars decorated the circular room at regular intervals. Staircases led to and from the centre of the room which was raised slightly. Sandford stopped short of the centre of the room and smiled at us proudly. "Welcome to the Ark Marines. Keep your distance from the core, or you may get sucked in." Sandford explained taking a step away from us. We circled the centre of the room and I bit my lip glancing at Reaper, he nodded to me, knowing exactly how we both felt about Ark travel.

"_Initiating molecular mapping drive._" A robotic voice announced. "_All personnel prepare for Ark travel._"

"You...um you done this before?" Kid asked leaning closer to Goat. He was terrified, you could see it all over his face.

"Once." Goat said crossing himself. "A training mission." He added giving as little information as possible.

"Hope you had a good dinner Kid." Duke teased as we all stood around waiting for travel to start.

"Trust me, it doesn't get any better." I admitted, my eyes focused on the centre of the room. I felt the guys look at me, but I was too busy psyching myself up for the mission, for being back on Olduvai, for facing my demons.

"As soon as we're through I need you to shut down the surface elevator here." Sarge ordered Sandford. "Make sure that we get the standard six hour quarantine." He added pointing to the man. Sandford flinched a little as Sarge pointed at him.

"Ready to proceed." Sandford nodded firmly showing he completely understood.

"_Ark travel fifteen seconds and counting. All personnel prepare for Ark travel._" The voice echoed around the room. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Kid looking around at all the movement in the room, I could tell he was excited and scared in equal parts. Suddenly it started, the familiar feeling of static in the air, the way it danced along your skin making it's way to the centre of the room. Out of thin air a small liquid metallic ball appeared in the centre of our circle. It grew in size slightly and it reflected all our faces. The ball rippled as it increased in size, stopping when it hovered at our eye level. I focused on the ball as Sarge nodded to Reaper. As Reaper took a step forward and gave him a small nod. He really didn't look too happy to be going first but I was thankful he was. He adjusted the strap of his gun then closed his eyes walking into the ball. In seconds the ball engulfed his whole body and disappeared.

"_Five... Four... Three... Two... One. Ark Travel initiated._" The voice stated as a new ball started to form.

"Portman, you're next!" Sarge barked at Portman who grumbled something none of us could hear.

"Why don't we let the ladies go first?" Portman asked glancing at me and the Kid.

"He was." Duke joked making Destroyer smile.

"It's ok Duke, I'll go. I'm not scared." I said looking Portman dead in the eyes. I walked up to the ball as it started to cover me. "Here we go again." I whispered to myself closing my eyes tight.


	5. Ghost's Of The Past

As the silver static covered my whole body, my world dropped into darkness. Travelling through the Ark felt like being in a sensory deprivation tank. You were weightless, there was no sound but your heart pounding out of your chest, you couldn't smell anything, hear anything but your own thoughts. The last time I travelled in the Ark, my mind brought up images of my parents, happy alive, laughing an joking. Then the rock fall and my father dying.

_This time my mind came up with monsters. Creatures bigger and badder than any horror film I had ever seen. Their skin grey and slimy, the millions of eyes peering at me in the darkness. They were all reaching out for me. Chasing me in the never ending darkness. The groans, the scratching of claws on metal. Even the screams of people dying around me. A heat started to rise, working from my toes and burning up through my body. I was not just on fire, but in fire. In a constant heat that burnt through everything I am as I ran from the hideous creatures that chased me. I was in Hell. A Doomed Hell that consumed everything. This was a nightmare I had never felt before. I tried to gasp, to scream, to express the fear that gripped me but nothing happened. There was just the fear gripping my whole body, squeezing on my heart as I tried to shake away those images. It was a never-ending Hell that my mind had created to torture me as I went through the Ark. I felt the heat, the fire increase until I was choking on the dry heat, gasping for an air that could reach my burnt lungs but it wasn't enough. Nothing was enough as I was consumed by the fires of Hell._

Scientists had suggested the Ark could access memories and manipulate them, because no two people experienced Ark travel in the same way. I was starting to wonder if they were right. But at the same time I had never seen creatures like that before. I had never feared fire, feared being in Hell. It felt wrong, something felt so wrong. But before I had time to process it all I was ripped out of Hell.

* * *

><p>I opened my eyes and staggered off the centre of the pad. The world was spinning violently and I was almost certain I would be throwing up any minute. I stumbled to the side and clamped my eyes shut for a second when I felt someone squeeze my shoulder.<p>

"You're alive Dani." Reaper soothed softly as I kept my eyes closed.

"Oh god I hope Portman's the next through so I can throw up on him." I half joked as I slowly opened my eyes and met John's hazel ones. He gave me a small smile and nodded as I stood up straight taking in a few deep breaths. "Never gets any easier does it?" I asked as the next person jumped out of the silver ball of hell. It was Duke. He looked pale and wobbled a few feet before dropping to his knee's. Both me and Reaper rushed to his side.

"You ok?" Reaper asked holding out a hand to help him up. Duke nodded taking Reaper's hand.

"Yeah... damn." Duke grunted shaking his head as Goat, Destroyer and Mac fallowed each other by a matter of seconds. All of them looked pale as they stumbled off the pad and made they way to the wall to catch some fresh air. I noticed Mac fall into the wall and close his eyes for a few seconds. Now I could move I walked over to him.

"You ok Mac?" I asked as he opened one eye and looked down at me.

"Sure Bones, nothing like the waltzes at Disneyland." He smirked at me. A lazy laugh escaped his lips as he looked down at me opening both his eyes.

"Disneyland?" I asked arching an eyebrow waiting for the explanation why big bad marines would go to Disneyland.

"Oh yeah, we all went last leave. Got kicked out after two hours." Mac laughed as he opened both his eyes and pushed himself off the wall. The colour was returning to his cheeks and he looked better.

"Let me guess it had something to do with Portman?" I asked smirking as I shook my head.

"She learns fast." Destroyer joked as he and Duke made their way over to us. Sarge was the next to drop through. He walked away from us as he caught his breath and kept his stomach down. The Kid popped through and stumbled off the pad before dropping to his knee's and throwing up. He looked really rough.

"You ok Kid?" Goat asked as we watch him struggle to get up. The Kid waved a hand before throwing up a little more. The last through was Portman and he didn't even make it off the pad before he was throwing up. He spat out the last and wiped his mouth.

"Why we gotta come all this way?" Portman whined. "Why can't the UAC rent-a-cops take care of this bullshit?" He grumbled to no one particularly.

"Is it always this rough?" The Kid asked me and Reaper, realising that we had been through it before. I looked to Reaper to answer the question.

"Believe me, it used to be a lot rougher." A voice said from across the room as an old face from the past appeared. He was half man, half chair now, grafted to the machine for as long as I could remember. His arms were folded across his chest as he wheeled over to us. "There was a time when Ark travel was susceptible to... let's say major turbulence." He added glancing at me and Reaper, it looked like he was struggling to remember us.

"What's he mean?" Kid whispered to Reaper softly.

"He means, he went to one galaxy, his ass went to another." Reaper explained bluntly and I had to look away so that I didn't smirk at the guy. Reaper caught my eye and I just rolled my eyes shaking my head a little.

"Call it a scientific miscalculation." The man rephrased Reapers words. "Unbelievable as it may seem, UAC does make the odd, tiny mistake." He added as I caught Reapers eye again and lost my smile. Sarge tilted his head to one side studying the man in the wheel chair and just how the two were connected. "Marcus Pinzerrowski. You call me-"

"Pinky." I said finishing his sentence as his name came to me. Pinky turned to me and studied my face for a few seconds before a realisation appeared.

"Doctor Marcus McKenzie's little girl... well not so little now, Dani right?" Pinky asked looking up at me with a warm smile. I nodded back adjusting the strap on my P90 as I was uncomfortable with anyone mentioning my fathers name. "My, if your father could see you now... I... he would be-" Pinky started to say when I cut him off.

"Alive." I stated firmly, giving Pinky a glare he probably didn't deserve.

"Well.. um yes." Pinky muttered as he looked at Sarge. I let out a heavy sigh and looked to the floor composing myself.

"Wait, she's been here before?" Kid whispered to Destroyer who just rolled his eyes at the question. Pinky wheeled off to a small station the other side of the room.

"Where are the others who aren't locked up in the lab?" Sarge asked as we fallowed him.

"In the atrium." Pinky replied logging into a few computers, he refused to look over at me.

"Pinky, put us up." Sarge ordered as he passed out camera's to attach to our weapons.

"Activating remote personal surveillance." Pinky said hitting a couple of keys.

"Circle up men, on my three." Sarge ordered. We all moved into a circle, facing each other. "One! Two! Three!" Sarge barked as we all brought up our weapons and aimed at the person opposite. I was facing Portman.

"Bang." I smirked looking down my sight at him. It would be so easy just to pull the trigger, so damn easy.

"You couldn't take me." Portman sneered at me, his slimy eyes ranking over me again.

"Keeping dreaming, it's the only place you'll get a piece of this ass." I smirked back, repressing yet another shiver caused by Portman.

"Oh believe me, I do." Portman winked back making my skin crawl.

"Kill cam's up and running." Pinky confirmed as we all lowered our weapons.

"People this room is a code red. Which means no one gets in without our permission. It stays ours at all costs." Sarge ordered taking a second to look each of us in the face. We all nodded back before he turned to Mac. "Mac, stay here with our friend and secure the door. Men on me, let's move out!" Sarge barked as he walked off towards the main door to the atrium. We all fallowed moving as a unit towards the door. "Open it up!" Sarge barked again as they opened the door for us. I took one last look at Pinky and Mac and set my jaw as I fallowed the others into the atrium. Mac locked the door behind us.

* * *

><p>There were plenty of scientists and their families getting ready to be evacuated from the place back to Earth. The looks of fear and confusion rang true to the last time I had stepped foot in the atrium. People whispered about us as we entered the room. I remembered seeing the task force they brought in to take us home and how scared I was back then. I tried not to let those memories shake me.<p>

"So um Bones, how come you've been here before?" Kid asked struggling to keep up with my pace. I noticed Portman's ears pricked up too as the pair watched me. I glanced at them before looking forward. I let out a small sigh rolling my head on my shoulders. This was exactly what I wanted to avoid. I didn't need anyone asking questions, I just came to end this chapter on my life.

"I don't really want to talk about it Kid." I replied softly as I noticed a small group of kids playing as if nothing strange was happening. I heard Portman scoff at my response and my knuckles went white as I gripped my P90.

"Don't." I heard Reaper say that one word with enough venom that it made Portman move to the other side of our group. I caught Reapers eye and gave him a small thank you nod.

"Where the fuck are we?" Duke asked looking around at our surroundings. I guess to someone who wasn't used to them, they could look pretty strange.

"A couple of million light years away from breakfast." Goat replied as we moved through the crowd of scientists. As we moved through the crowd a man in a uniform of sorts made his way over to us.

"Lt. Huengs, UAC head of security. When can I start evacuating these people?" He asked walking up to Sarge. Huengs didn't seemed to be phased by Sarge or the rest of us, he seemed to take us in his stride.

"We're at a level five quarantine, nobody goes anywhere." Sarge barked back at the man. I glanced and noticed that Portman had left the group and was making his way to a group of young female scientists.

"Ladies, we're under a level five quarantine. So I'm just going to have to go ahead and strip search each of you." Portman sleazed over the women and in that moment I just wanted to kick him in the balls. It appeared that it would be a recurring thought when it came to Portman. Thankfully the women scoffed and rolled their eyes at him. Portman wasn't too phased he just latched onto the next woman who walked past. He tried his line again. "We're under a level five quarantine. So I'm just going to have to strip-"

"Portman." Sarge barked to Portman as the woman totally blanked him and walked over to Sarge. As soon as I saw her face I knew this woman could handle Portman in her sleep. She was a little taller than me, long blonde hair clipped up highlighting her natural beauty with the minimalistic amount of make up she wore. Her hazel eyes taking all of us in with one glance.

"Sargent this is Doctor Samantha Grimm." Lt Huengs introduced her to Sarge. "She's been assigned to retrieve data from the lab." He explained as I noticed Reaper tense up slightly.

"Sargent." Samantha said with a quick nod. She stood firm, a quiet confidence in her authority radiated from her.

"Doctor Grimm." Sarge said nodding to her. Samantha looked past Sarge to me and Reaper stood next to each other. Her eyes widened slightly at noticing Reaper, but only for a fraction before that authoritarian front re-appeared.

"Doctor McKenzie." She said with a small warm smile. Sam refused to call me Sargent even though it was my rank. She always saw me as a doctor first, then a Marine.

"Hello Doctor Grimm, nice to be face to face again." I smirked back then her eyes fell on Reaper.

"Hello John." She said loosing her smile, but she managed to keep her voice almost even. There was a small hint of disappointment in there.

"Hello Samantha." Reaper replied plainly. I knew the pair hadn't talked since John announced he was going to be a Marine. Samantha wasn't happy about it, but when I said I was going to be a medic she realised we weren't the same kids that ran around the Olduvai dig site. The night John told Sam, the pair had a massive bust up and I knew for a fact neither of them was willing to apologise first. Hence why ten years later, this was the first time they had even talked to each other. Sure they still sent cards and birthday presents but that was about it.

"Hello Samantha." Duke suddenly sang out as he checked out Sam. Sarge, myself and Destroyer all turned and glared at Duke. He checked himself and put on his professional expression, standing to attention with his gun. Sam was probably more than a best friend, she was a sister to me. It was nice seeing her face to face again.

"Sarge this is a code red. We really don't have room for _passengers_." Reaper protested to Sarge as Samantha cocked her head to one side looking pissed off. I'd seen that expression enough to know the pair were about to argue- again. I let out a small sigh as I relaxed my stance, I knew this was going to take awhile.

"Excuse me, but I have orders to retrieve data from three different servers; anthropology, archaeology and genetics." Sam snapped back glaring at Reaper.

"This is a military operation, _Doctor_, we're not here to retrieve your science homework." Reaper replied condescendingly looking back at Sam. The tension between them made it uncomfortable for the rest of us who just stood back and watched the fireworks go. I had learnt a long time ago to stay out of their arguments if you could help it.

"That science homework is the core study of a nine-billion dollar research program. You got the nine-billion, fine, cough it up pal, I'm sure UAC'll call it quits." Sam bit back holding her hand out for the money she knew Reaper didn't have. Reaper gave her a sarcastic smile before matching her glare.

"Give me the address, I'll send a check." He added keeping up his glare as he let his voice carry a quiet threat. You had to know the twins to notice it, but it was in there. A threat under the surface to back down. Not that Sam ever listened to that tone, I think she saw it more as a challenge not to back down.

"Look I got an idea, why don't we ask your CO what your orders are _Sargent_?" Samantha asked with a sarcastic smile to Reaper before she turned to Sarge. Sarge took a deep breath as the pair turned to him, hoping that he could settle it once and for all. I really didn't want to be in Sarge's shoes in that moment. I had in the past and it was never pretty. It usually ended up in one of them blanking me for days, they were both as stubborn as each other.

"To contain and neutralize the threat, protect the civilians, and to..." Sarge groaned looking at Sam while Reaper had a smug smirk on his lips. That was until Sarge turned to him, Reaper let out a sigh as Sarge continued. "And to retrieve UAC property." He finished.

"Are we finally done here, because I have a job to do." Sam smirked at Reaper before catching my eye and giving me a small smile before turning. "If you'll fallow me." Sam sighed walking away from the group. As we started to fallow her Sarge turned to Reaper.

"You choose this Reaper," Sarge reminded him. "Is this gonna spoil my day?" He asked.

"No sir." Reaper replied as we walked off. As we started to walk off Duke popped his head near enough onto Reaper's shoulder, between me and Reaper.

"Tell me you didn't let a fine lookin' piece of ass get away from you Reaper." Duke asked watching Sam's backside as she walked away. Clearly everyone thought since the pair both had the surname Grimm they had to be married.

"Duke." I warned as Reaper held his breath for a second. I held mine hoping that he wasn't about to punch Duke straight in the nose for hitting on his sister.

"She's my sister." Reaper stated the smallest hint of anger still in his voice. Duke's head shot back and he paused mid step.

"No shit!" Duke cried out, his voice a little higher than he had expected it to come out.

"Don't do this again man." Destroyer said hitting Duke on the back.

"Do what?" Duke asked innocently.

"I thought I was the girl for you Duke?" I asked faking being hurt. Duke put his arm round my shoulders bringing me closer to him.

"Oh don't be like that Bones, there's enough of me to go round." Duke joked as I shook my head and jogged to catch up to Reaper. As I reached him, he caught my eye.

"You knew?" He asked me without looking at me. He was pissed at me, it was written all over his face.

"That she was in Olduvai, yes. What she's doing up here, no idea. Every time I ask she changes the topic." I answered as we walked down the corridor shoulder to shoulder.

"You talk? Ten years and I only get cards." Reaper replied sounding almost hurt, almost.

"We're female. It's in our genetic make up to talk. Plus she's my best friend." I added adjusting the strap of my P90 again. I glanced at the people we were passing, Goat and Portman's backs, anywhere but at Reaper. I felt like a I was about to be put in the middle of their argument again.

"We live on the same planet Dani, do the same job." Reaper grunted as we walked on. I let out a heavy sigh, this was John all over. Blaming someone else for his fault. I shook my head as we walked realising I was being put in the middle again.

"Yeah but the last time I tried to call you, you didn't pick up." I said just loud enough for him to hear. His eyes darted to mine for a second as we shared a look. "You blew me off every time I tried John. So I got the message and just stopped. I sent cards to let you know you weren't alone." I added grumbling slightly. Truth was I tried everything short of showing up at his base. John wanted to be a loner, I was almost certain of it. It hurt both me and Sam, we were all each other had left. John abandoning us, me, it hurt a hell of a lot. I was left on a planet of billions completely alone. John never realised how much of an impact his actions had on me, on Sam. I grit my teeth as he opened up that old wound inside me.

"I send you cards too." Reaper replied glancing sideways at me, as if that was a justification. I bit my tongue not to shout at him, I settled for a scoff instead.

"Yeah for the last eight years it's had the same message in _Doing fine. Happy Birthday. John._ You don't wanna open up, fine, but I don't see why I should inform you on what your sisters up to. She's a grown woman." I huffed as I increased my step and walked by the side of Sarge and Sam. Sarge cast a questioning look at me as I just looked forward. He didn't need to know about the drama between me and the Grimm's, I was pretty sure he chew me out about it if he did. I know he was still looking for an excuse.

"Good to see you again Dani." Sam smiled softly as I glanced at her. She was my best friend, the closest thing I had to family. She always made me feel part of the Grimm's, even when the twins argued, she was always there for me.

"You too Sam." I replied with a small smile, as I realised I was sixteen the last time I saw Sam in the flesh. For the last ten years we video chatted, wrote letters and sent cards.

"There's three sections to Carmack's lab complex." Sarge stated wanting Sam to fill him in more.

"Archaeology, Genetics and Weapons Research." Sam replied we jogged up a few steps and walked down a corridor. I had fallen behind Sarge so I was level with Portman. I was even willing to take Portman over Reaper, that must tell you how annoyed I was at Reaper.

"You test weapons up here?" Portman asked surprised, loud enough for everyone near him hear.

"Well it's a dead planet. You want this stuff tested up here where it's safe or in your own back yard? We're primarily an Archaeological operation. Weapons research is in its own separate facility, it has nothing to do with Dr Carmack's work." Sam explained as we went down a couple more corridors until we reached another locked door.

"How many inside when the lab shut down?" Sarge asked as we all came to a stop.

"Only Dr Carmack's team, that's six people." Sam explained turning to face him. "In one of the carbon dating labs, there was an internal phone left off the hook." Sam added looking deadly serious.

"You get any information from it?" Sarge asked as Sam glanced to Lt. Huengs. He lifted up a tape recorder and pressed play. Screams burst from the machine as it played. The screams were so violent, that I could only imagine how much pain they were in. People screamed for help, for any kind of help. I looked to the floor and took a moment to shake the screams, I was no longer hearing the screams from the labs, but from fifteen years ago. A shiver ran through me as those memories came flooding back. I was pulled back to the now when Sam unlocked the massive door and it hissed open. I gripped my P90, ready for anything that could be behind the door.

"Portman, Goat, lead on." Sarge ordered as Lt. Huengs opened the door and they walked in.

"Magnesium, Chromium, Lead it's all normal." Portman stated using a device to check the air, just in case of any leak from the outside atmosphere.

"All clear." Goat confirmed as Sarge walked in, quickly fallowed by the rest of us. It appeared to be a type of air lock we were stood in. A small white and silver box with a massive screen on one wall.

"Pinky give us a schematic." Sarge asked as an image flickered and appeared on the screen.

"_Uploading to you now._" He stated over our comms. The door was closed and I noticed Sam lock it, Lt. Huengs was on the other side of the door. "_Carmack's lab is isolated from the rest of the facility. The air lock is the only way in or out._" Pinky explained as it showed up on the map. Sarge nodded turning to face us.

"Goat, Portman - Genetics. Kid, Destroyer - Carmack's lab where he sent that mayday from. Reaper, Bones, keep Dr Grimm safe on her salvage op. Duke and I will take the Weapons lab, make sure all the hardware is secure. Be safe Marines." Sarge said as I saw Sam looked from me to Reaper. She did not look happy about being stuck with him, and I knew without looking around he had the same expression. "Goat, Portman, on you." Sarge added as I looked over as they started to move. Everyone cocked their weapons as Goat opened the door for Portman. The pair moved out into a dark, kinda eerie looking gangway corridor. The power appeared to be out, which just made things ten times more difficult.

"Clear left." Portman stated, as everyone turned the lights on the bottom of their guns on.

"Clear right." Goat confirmed as the rest of us started to pile out into the gangway in formation. We moved in pairs, each covering their partners backs as we fanned out further into the corridor.

"Pinky, any chance we can get better lighting?" Sarge demanded more than asked.

"_Trying, but there appears to be a lot of damage. I'll work on it._" Pinky replied.

"You do that." Sarge growled as the darkness seemed to go on forever. A few lights in the distance flickered on and off, nothing stayed on long enough to be of real use.

"Five bucks says this shit ain't nothing but a disgruntled employee with a gun." Portman mused aloud as we kept watch. I think he felt the need to talk to calm his nerves, this place made everyone go on high alert. I heard the Kid twitch near me, Portman's words getting to him.

"Shut up Portman." I sighed keeping my eyes peeled for any movement in the darkness.

"Fluorescent marking as rooms are cleared. Go." Sarge ordered as we all started to move out in our respective ways.


	6. When Worlds Collide

We broke away from the others and continued to move as a pair. John took the left while I covered the right. I glanced at him and over my shoulder to Sam, she was staying behind me as we moved. I wasn't surprised it felt like she didn't want to be anywhere near John.

"We need to go down the left side." Sam whispered softly as John nodded, glancing back at his sister. I glanced at him and he nodded for me to move first.

"Stay there Sam until we call you." I ordered softly, crouching and moving round the corner, lighting up a new corridor. None of the lights seemed to be working, the steam rose from vents along the sides and generally it was all very unnerving. I saw John jog to the left side of the corridor, adding his light to my own.

"Clear." John barked moving to the next point where the wall jutted out.

"Clear, Sam stay close behind me." I ordered softly as she jogged behind me. That was the only talking we did, Sam would give us directions, and both me and John would call out if the space was clear. Something about the ambiance of the place put me on edge, I was blaming it on the lack of lighting and nothing at all to do with the fact I was back on Olduvai again. We kept moving until we reached the lab. Sam unlocked the door and I nodded as John walked in first clearing it, I fallowed searching the opposite side of the room. The lights weren't on here and we only had our torch lights to light it up for us.

"Lock it." John ordered harshly as we continued to clear it. Sam switched the lights on as we did one final sweep of the lab.

"Clear." I stated, adjusting how I held my P90. The light gave me some sense of relief, like the light could protect me from any big bad.

"It's clear." John confirmed as we lowered our weapons. I looked around the place, it reminded me so much of my fathers lab. I wondered around looking at the artefacts they had discovered. "How much time are you gonna need?" John asked as Sam moved to a computer. I could see him taking in the whole room as well.

"Thirty minutes tops." She answered logging in and starting to download everything.

"_Goat, Portman. There's another room to the North, past Genetics._" Pinky's voice came over the comms.

"_Copy that._" Goat replied and the line fell silent again. I glanced around and saw Sam looking at me over her computer screen, I had what looked like a flint knife in my hands. I was examining it the way my father had taught me to. Sam gave me a small smile and I shrugged. Old habits die hard.

"Sorry." I apologized making John look at me as I put the blade down. He stood watching me talk to Sam, I could feel his gaze on me. It was heavy, almost like I knew he was glaring at me.

"No, no it's ok. Look, please." Sam coaxed from the console. She actually looked happy that I was examining things, studying them like I used to. I gave her a warm smile when John spoke up.

"We don't have time to look, Bones." John ordered almost glaring at me and Sam. She opened her mouth to speak when we heard gun fire through the comms. I arched an eyebrow to John as we moved closer together, getting ready to move out if we needed to. I don't think either of us had expected contact so soon though.

"_All units report contact!_" Sarge yelled in our ears. "_God Damn it! All units report contact!_"

"_Friendly fire Sarge. Wasting Ghosts._" Destroyer replied in his booming voice as we both relaxed a little. I had no doubt that it was the Kid, he was so jumpy. He really needed to get a handle on it before he hurt a friendly.

"_Rodger that._" Sarge scowled as I shook my head and wondered away from John. I couldn't believe how much stuff they had dug up before the accident. We all knew something big had to be there, but actually seeing things, it was amazing. I moved over to a glass cabinet that contained a full humanoid skeleton, protecting a child. A full skeleton was fascinating, I couldn't pull my eyes off it. Back when I was little, when I was going to grow up to be an archaeologist, I wanted to specialise in bones, and skeletal evidence.

"So, Bones the Medic and Reaper, as in Grimm?" Sam mused aloud with a hint of humour in her voice as she transferred data over. I glanced at her and smirked, she didn't know I had chosen my own handle. Though I had no doubt if she found out she wouldn't be surprised. After all, I was a little obsessed with Star Trek when I was younger.

"They're Marines Sam, not poets." John replied dryly, glancing over his shoulder to her.

"I thought you were in the 17th?" Sam asked confused as she glanced at my shoulder, then John's. I shrugged a little, glancing at John who was still looking around.

"I am, I'm on loan." I answered without thinking, my attention was still on the skeleton and how well preserved it was.

"Loan?" Sam inquired confused as she looked up from her screen, I turned sideways and looked back at her. I scratched the back of my neck before nodding a little.

"Yeah, they needed someone who's been to Olduvai before, and a medic." I explained glancing at John who had stopped moving around, he was listening to me speak. "Um, Sarge requested the extra help, the video message we got looked bad." I added quickly, I wasn't lying that was part of the reason I had been called in. Sam didn't need to know Sarge didn't want John up here, if John wanted to tell her, it was his choice. Sam nodded and went back to hitting keys.

"Holy shit!" John cried out as he walked over to me, his eyes wide as he looked at the skeleton. Sam turned to us and nodded looking damn proud of herself

"Oh yeah meet Lucy. Lucy meet Dani my best friend, and John another long lost relic from the past." Sam jibbed looking over at us. I smirked a little shaking my head at her.

"You found human remains." John stated looking at the skeleton. I could see with the way he was looking at it he was studying it as much as I was.

"Humanoid." I corrected him as he glanced at me. "What? I remember my studies." I muttered looking over to Sam. She smiled back before I turned my attention back to the remains.

"Dani's right, they're humanoid. Lucy and her child were our first major find. We're bringing out more everyday." Sam beamed, so proud of the work she was doing up here. As soon as the words left her lips as I saw John's reaction. He tightened the grip on his gun, his jaw set and his eyes widened as he turned to his sister. I had to admit, I was surprised, the dig was so unstable that I was sure they'd never reopen it. No matter how amazing the finds were, they were never going to be worth anyone else dying. Ever.

"You reopened the dig?" John snarled glaring at Sam. She paused for a moment and turned to face us, biting her lip slightly. I stood perfectly still by John waiting for her to explain herself.

"I know I should have told you, I didn't think it was a thing I could jot down on a yearly birthday card." Sam bit back as he turned and looked at me. His face said more than words could. He was pissed at Sam for her reopening the dig. "And Dani, I knew... I knew you wouldn't be happy about it. I didn't want you worrying about me when you were out there." Sam added softly as she looked back to the screen. I let out a small sigh, pushing some loose strands of hair off my face.

"What about the loose rock Sam? It, it just took one... The surface isn't secure." I exclaimed looking at my best friend with the biggest puppy dog eyes I could make. Pleading with her to understand how scared I was for her safety.

"It's been stabilized." Sam argued back, herself trying to convince me of the safety of the place. Before I could protest the safety of the dig John span on his heels to face us.

"Bullshit!" John yelled turning back to face his sister. The anger clear for everyone to see.

"Guys, come on, let's not get into it now." I begged sighing as I felt the tension between them rise.

"You want to talk about safe?!" Sam snapped back. "Like you took a desk job!" John scoffed in response looking away from his sister.

"And I'm invisible. Awesome." I sarcastically muttered as I sighed, waving a little to see if either of them would pay attention to me. Neither did. Just like that I felt sixteen again, stood in the middle of the twins fighting. I pinched the bridge of my nose as I felt a headache start to form. _Today is going to be one hell of long day..._

"I'm a forensic archaeologist John, I go where the work is." Sam snapped looking back at the screen. The pair were so pissed at each other that I thought Sarge had only paired me with them as a torture for being female and being forced to join his unit.

"Is that the only reason you're up here?" John asked accusingly turning to face Sam. The aggression clear in his voice as he talked.

"You wanna know why I'm up here, I'll show you, come here." Sam urged pulling out a disk and putting it into a socket. John and I walked over to Sam as she brought up something on a screen. "This is Lucy's chromosome profile, notice anything?" Sam asked as I glanced at the screen instantly recognising why Sam was there.

"Oh shit." I muttered looking over my shoulder to John. In turn John just raised his eyebrow at me. "Oh so now you're paying attention to me?" I muttered shaking my head at John, he let out a huff in response.

"My molecular genetics is a little rusty." John sarcastically replied, looking at his sister.

"What's the first thing Dad taught us to look for?" Sam demanded an answer from John, making him take a good look at the screen.

"She's got twenty-four pairs of chromosomes." John stated in shock. I smirked a little knowing that John still could do this stuff if he really wanted to.

"Humans only have twenty-three." Sam pointed out as I looked at her confused.

"Well what does the extra pair do?" John asked, actually sounding interested.

"Makes her super human. The extra pair makes her super strong, super fit, super intelligent." Sam explained as she walked back over to Lucy. "Her cells divide fifty times faster, meaning-"

"She would heal almost instantly..." I concluded cutting Sam off in utter shock. Sam nodded in agreement. I took a beat to appreciate just what that implied.

"The fossil record indicates these people have conquered disease. We found no genetic disorders, no viruses, no cancers." Sam explained as me and John walked back over to her.

"That is just... I mean they are the answer to wiping out disease in us. " I gaped in awe of the skeleton. "If we can... I mean just begin to understand how the chromosome works we could wipe disease, cancer, birth defects out in the human race." I added glancing at Sam as she smiled at me. I completely understood why she was up here working on this stuff. It was ground breaking, world changing work.

"So what, they were just naturally superior?" John asked curiously, as machines started to beep.

"No, not naturally." Sam replied walking back over to her computer. "See the earliest remains we found only had twenty-three. We suspect this extra chromosome may be synthetic." I glanced at John before looking back at the skeleton.

"Bio-engineered?"John asked turning back to look at Sam.

"That's a long word for a Marine." Sam teased looking at her screen as John turned back to the skeleton. "Does it ever bother you that could have spent your life looking down a microscope instead of a sniper scope?" Sam asked looking at me and John, she looked a little hurt about our paths in life. "You both wanted to get away so badly, you ran into the first place that would take you." She added looking at her screen. It was a constant argument with me and Sam, she had been trying really hard for the last five years to make me move away from the RRTS to different medical work. Safer medical work, she called it.

"We've talked about this Sam." I sighed moving to stand between her and John. "You know why I wanted to be a field medic, a member of the double-R-T-S." I added as she glanced at me with a sad smile. "I couldn't help save them, I was weak. I'm not now. The double-R-T-S, sure they work for the UAC and they're best interests. But Sam, I save peoples lives. I save more people than I kill. The double-R-T-S gave me that power, that strength. I'm not leaving any time soon." I added sadly, hoping this time would be the time she understood and finally dropped it. I knew it wouldn't be though, this was Sam Grimm after all. Her eyes darted to John, as I turned I realised he was watching me too. He looked away as I met his gaze. A silence fell on us as I felt vulnerable, explaining my actions to Sam and John. Sure they were the closest thing to family to me, but none of us talked about the accident too much, unless we were drunk. I moved a few feet away from the pair of them, turning my attention to anything but the twins in the room. I hated looking weak in front of anyone.

"You two, you wasted so much talent." Sam added sadly making me turn back to her, John scoffed again, turning his attention back to the skeleton. I adjusted the strap of my P90 and sighed softly. Didn't I tell you that Sam wouldn't leave it?

"If they were so smart, how come they're so dead?" John questioned looking back to Sam.

"We don't know." Sam answered before looking back to her screen. "Maybe they just went with time."

"You don't shield a baby from time." John sighed looking at the skeleton again.

"_We've got movement up ahead._" Portman's voice broke over the comms. This kicked me and John into action, almost like a switch had been flicked we were ready to move out.

"You stay here ok, lock the door." John ordered Sam before looking at me. I was already making my way to the door.

"We'll be back soon Sam." I reassured with a soft smile as she and John walked up to the door. Sam unlocked it, we walked through and waited for her to lock it again before we started to move out. John took one last look at the door before we moved out. I knew he really did care about his sister, no matter how angry he was at her. They were all each other had left.


	7. First Contact

We moved through the corridors with speed, each of us covering as the other moved- standard protocol. Pinky had managed to get some more lights on, the emergency lighting did little to make the place less creepy. The sporadic lights were unevenly spread out, some flickering as we passed. However what little light they did provide had my heart racing. The walls appeared to be a dark red-brown. The colour of dried blood. A lot of dried blood. If Portman's idea of an employee going loco was true, the only thing that worried me was the lack of bodies. _With the amount of blood caking the walls and floor, there should have been bodies._ I let the thought go though as we continued to move. Now wasn't the time for this kind of thinking. For any thinking really, we needed to move on instinct here, rely on training. For the majority we were still in darkness, working from our flash lights. As we turned a corner I crouched, waiting for Reaper to come from me behind and cover me as we moved forward. My flash light started to flicker slightly.

"Son of a-" I muttered slapping the thing to make it stop flickering. The last thing I needed was for my flash light to go out. Reaper reached the corner and glanced at me with a questioning look. "Light acting up. Ready?" I answered looking into the pitch black corridor, clearly Pinky hadn't been able to work his magic on this area yet. Reaper nodded as we continued to move.

"_Fucking doors been ripped open._" Portman whispered, the surprise clear in his voice.

"_There's something in Carmack's office._" Goat confirmed as we continued to move. I glanced at Reaper as we continued to move through the silent corridors. The place was a damn maze, everywhere looked the same. The layout had stayed practically the same from when we were kids, the problem was, fifteen years was a long time. It was only slowly starting to come back to me. I was wondering how the others were coping with it. My thoughts were cut off my Goat confirming contact amongst a hail of bullets. "_It's moving East through Carmack's office fast!_" Goat yelled over the rain of bullets and static from the comms, as we started to double time it. Ahead of us we heard gunfire as another voice came over the comms

"_Confirm contact moving fast down the south corridor._" Kid added as the gun fire got louder. We came up the next corridor that ran parallel with it. Reaper stopped in front of me, on the edge of the corner.

"Hold your fire!" Reaper ordered as the shooting stopped. He popped his head round and then ran towards the dead end corridor the Kid had been firing at. I only remembered the corridor ran to a dead end because when we played hide and seek it was my hiding place. I shiver ran down my spine thinking what could be in there now. As I moved behind Reaper, Kid and Destroyer fell in behind me. Reaper stopped at the bottom of the stairs and glanced behind him to make sure we were there. I nodded ready to fallow his lead as we moved once again in pairs silently clearing a path. We reached the end of the corridor and I could hear ragged breathing coming from somewhere, the problem was the place was so dark it was hard to locate the source, that and the breathing seemed to bounce off all the walls.

"You hear that?" I whispered looking around for the source. Reaper just nodded, tilting his head in the direction he was sure it was coming from.

"If you have a weapon, drop it!" Reaper ordered as he slowly moved further into the room. I fallowed him, both our lights shining around the small area. "Don't move!" Reaper yelled as his light landed on the source of the ragged breathing. I turned, adding my light to his as I saw Doctor Carmack, cramming himself into the corner. He had blood on his neck, and he was cradling a severed arm. From the bright red nail polish on the fingertips he was chewing nervously, I'd say it was a woman's arm. The others reached us and Sarge flicked on the lights. Carmack hissed at the brightness, as he tried to cram himself further into the corner. Clearly he was in server shock, I'd only ever seen that level of shock with soldiers in the field.

"Permission to inspect the wounded?" I asked standing side by side with Reaper. I noticed Reaper glance at me like I was slightly crazy. Carmack had managed to out run well trained Marines, half way across the damn place, and he was chewing on a dead arm. But he was hurt and I was a doctor.

"Granted, men keep a good aim on Carmack, he makes any move towards Bones, don't hesitate to neutralise him." Sarge barked as I swung my P90 behind me, putting on some purple medical gloves over my fingerless gloves, and crouched slightly holding my hands up to show I wasn't a threat.

"Hey, hi, I'm Dani." I called out softly moving closer to Carmack. He hissed and squirrelled away further. "I'm a doctor. I'm not going to hurt you." I reassured, easing forward as he seemed to sniff the air around him. Like a dog would sniff the air to see if you were hostile.

"Sam! I told you-" Reaper cried out making Carmack jump back again.

"But he knows me John!" Sam argued as I glanced over my shoulder to the pair. Sam started to move slowly towards me. I could see how scared she was, but she wasn't letting it control her. It looked like me and Reaper weren't the only ones who had changed in the last ten years.

"Sam, he's in server shock. I need to get a look at his neck wound as well." I stated softly, glancing at her before looking back at Carmack. "Hey, hey remember, I'm a doctor, it's ok. We're all good here." I soothed softly as Carmack's eyes went wide.

"Doctor Carmack, it's me Samantha. This is Danica, she's a friend." Sam added softly, moving at my side. I wanted to frown at Sam for using my full name but now really wasn't the time. "Where are the others? Where are they? Steve? Hillary?" Sam pressed and I glanced at her. Carmack increased his breathing, hissing and twitching constantly. On some level he understood the words Sam was saying to him, but it was aggravating him.

"Can we leave the questioning until he gets medical attention please?" I whispered to her with a slightly annoyed look on my face as Carmack dropped the arm. He dropped to the floor, curling himself up the best he could.

"We're not going to hurt you. Danica is a doctor, she's going to make you feel better. It's ok." Sam reassured softly as we moved closer to him. Carmack started to spazem more, twitching and shaking. His wide eyes darted from me to Sam and then the men behind us as his breathing got more ragged.

"Calm down, steady breathes." I ordered softly, stopping and grabbing Sam's elbow making her stop too. We both began to crouch down to his level when Carmack let out a twisted cry and reached up to his ear. "Sam move back, now." I stated deadly serious, keeping my eyes locked on Carmack. I did not like how he was moving, and I got a bad feeling something was about to happen. I dropped my hand, ready to go for my side arm if I needed it.

"Dani? Why?" She cried out confused, glancing at me as Carmack ripped his ear right off in one movement. "Jesus Christ!" Sam screamed out jumping back slightly. I heard the guys move quickly behind and I let out a shaky breathe. I had seen some crazy in my time, but ripping your own ear off was new, even for me.

"Urg! Man!" Portman cried out as Sam turned to the others Carmack was looking at his ear in total confusion. I heard the others ready their weapons.

"Doctor Carmack, hey, hey, hey, you still with me?" I begged as his eyes darted to me, the blood pouring down his face soaking his shirt. "Good. Ok, remember I'm a doctor, I'm not going to hurt you." I soothed softly as I reached into a pocket and pulled out a field medical kit. I ripped it open with my teeth and found the quick cot gel. I ripped that open, tossing everything else onto my knee. "Nice and easy, ok... no one needs to shoot." I insisted smiling softly at Carmack as I talked to the guys. I had managed to control the situation, thankfully no one was getting shot.

"Duke help Bones and Dr. Grimm get our guest to the infirmary." Sarge ordered as I scooted closer to Carmack. He jumped slightly and turned his head towards the wall, giving me an easier access to his ear.

"Hey, look at that, team work." I smiled warmly as I started to pour the gel on. "It's gonna sting, I'm sorry." I added holding his shoulder and pouring on the gel. Carmack hissed as he held out his ear to Sam. Apart from the hissing, Carmack was taking it surprisingly well.

"Um..." She took it from him and I moved my knee so she could put it on top of the medical kit. "Thanks." She said softly as the gel started to take affect. The blood was slowing but he was still bleeding badly.

"Portman, Kid, go to the air lock and dig in. Anything that gets away from us, gets drawn straight to you." Sarge continued to order as the guys moved out. "Now let's see if we can find the body that goes with that arm." Sarge added as Duke came over to us. Carmack skittered away from Duke slightly.

"Carmack, hey it's ok. He's just here to help me move you, ok?" I asked softly, looping my arm under one side of him. "Duke, I need you to take his other side. Sam grab the kit off my knee." I ordered as Carmack struggled slightly as I tried to hold him still. "Easy Carmack, easy." I hummed softly to the man. Duke moved forward as Sam took the kit from my knee. Duke swung his free arm under the other shoulder of Carmack's and looked at me.

"On three. One, two-" Duke nodded as we lifted Carmack to his feet. The man really didn't weight much, but with the way he was struggling and twitching, it was going to take two people to move him.

"Sam, which way do we need to go?" I asked softly, trying my best to keep Carmack calm.

"This way." Sam confirmed leading away from the pitch blackness, the forgotten arm kicked aside by Duke's foot as we moved.

* * *

><p>We started to lug Carmack back towards the infirmary, but he wouldn't stop twitching and struggling. It was making it twice as hard for me and Duke to carry him.<p>

"You know it would be easier just to knock him out." Duke grumbled as we fallowed Sam to the air lock.

"Yeah, but he's loosing a lot of blood Duke, we knock him out, he might not wake up." I replied as we walked into the air lock. Sam locked the door behind her as the decontamination hisses started around us. This really started Carmack off, he jerked so much he managed to get out of our arms. He dropped to the floor, curling up in a ball. I dropped down to my knee and put my hand on his shoulder when he suddenly grabbed it, so tightly that I was sure he could break the bones if he wanted to. I muffled a cry of pain as my eyes locked on Carmack's. There was something in his eyes, a silent pleading but I had not idea what he was pleading for. Duke raised his gun as Sam dropped down to my side.

"Sam, get back." Duke ordered, but Sam totally ignored him.

"Dr Carmack, please we trying to help you." Sam pleaded softly as Carmack's eyes darted to Sam.

"We need to get you checked out, your ear, neck..." I grunted threw grit teeth trying my best not to shout as he turned back to me. He looked at our hands and twitched again, taking a couple of ragged breaths before letting go of my hand. I stood up flexing my hand as the decontamination ended.

"You ok Dani?" Sam asked worried as Duke relaxed slightly, though he never took his eyes off Carmack.

"Sure, just got a strong grip." I sighed flexing it a couple more times. I couldn't believe how strong Carmack had been. I knew it was going to bruise pretty badly. "Ready Duke?" I asked with a soft smile as we moved to pick him up again. As we went to pick up Carmack, we both heard gunfire through the comms.

"_Sarge I think we found the rest of that arm._" Portman's voice came over the comms I raised an eyebrow to Duke as we walked back through the atrium. People were stood around and openly stared at us as we dragged the twitching Carmack past the crowds. Lt. Huengs looked up from a screen to us and actually looked surprised before checking himself.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the RRTS are pulling out survivors. There is no need to panic. I'm sure it was just an accident. Please go about your usual business. The UAC have this under control." He said professionally as his eyes landed on us and he looked terrified.

"Accident my ass." I grunted softly to myself.

"They buy this bullshit?" Duke asked softly as we fallowed Sam down to the infirmary. She glanced over her shoulder to me, sharing a look with me. Duke caught the look and glanced at me with a raised eyebrow. It looked like there was no getting away from the questions.

"They did fifteen years ago..." I muttered as we reached the corridor we needed.

"That rock fall thing?" Duke remembered as I blinked and looked over to him, I didn't think he heard me. I just nodded sighing softly as we started to head down the corridor. "You were here?" Duke asked me seriously.

"Yeah, Sam and Reaper too." I admitted sadly. "We all lost our parents." I stated looking anywhere but at Sam and Duke.

"I'm sorry." Duke offered sadly as I glanced to him. I gave him a small sad smile as a smaller, oriental looking woman jogged over to us. The shock was plastered all over her face as she looked from us to Sam.

"What's happening?" She begged Sam for any information. I glanced at the woman's name tag, it read Janet Willits.

"Janet, we don't know. They've just found Carmack, he needs medical attention." Sam replied as we walked up to what looked like a dead end. I knew it was anything but. Sam hit a few keys and they solid wall seemed to become suspended liquid, it was a nano wall.

"No,no, no I don't do nano walls." Duke announced loudly. I glanced at him surprised, I didn't figure Duke to be scared of things like this.

"Yes you do." Sam confidently answered as the wall became translucent.

"You want me to clear it?" I teased the smallest hint of a challenge in my voice. Duke stood up straight, looking at the nano wall, then the three women around him and the wall again.

"No, no I got this." He muttered as the other woman, Janet took his half of Carmack. Duke eased towards the nano wall, you could see how uncomfortable he was about it all. "Wait here." He ordered to Sam before taking a deep breath. "Oh shit." He mumbled walking through the door. We could see him sweeping the place through the door. He waved us through and we started to move Carmack through. Duke took back his half of Carmack as Sam turned the lights on and grabbed a lab coat.

"On three again?" I suggested as we moved Carmack to the table.

"Sure, one, two-" Duke and I lifted his body and put it down on the table as Janet and Sam started to bring equipment over to us. I moved over to the stand above his head as I could get a better look at where his ear was ripped off. The quick cot gel was working still but I knew there was no way we were going to be able to put is ear back on.

"Did they find the others?" Janet asked anxiously putting some gloves on and passing me some fresh ones.

"Not yet." Sam replied as I ignored their conversation and started to work on Carmack. I checked his pupils with my own pen light but they were still dilated and unresponsive.

"My husbands with them." Janet added sounding worried for her partner.

"I'm sure Steve's fine." Sam lied and the pair shared an unconvinced look. "Dr Carmack I'm going to take your blood pressure." Sam informed Carmack though I doubted he understood anything that was happening around him right now.

"Have you got any saline wipes? I need to get a better look at his neck and ear." I asked looking at Janet as Sam started to take his blood pressure. Suddenly Carmack jumped up, grabbing Sam by the shoulder and taking us all by surprise. I grabbed the top of Carmack's shoulders and tried to pull him back to the table as Duke raced to the side of Sam. He was exhibiting the crazy strength again, I wasn't sure I could pull him back down if I wanted to.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Duke cried out, trying to prise Carmack's hands off Sam.

"It's ok, it's ok." Sam said glancing over her shoulder to Duke then me. I kept my hands on Carmack just in case.

"Leave!" Carmack hissed out as he shook.

"What happened in there?" Sam asked acting completely unphazed by Carmack's behaviour. Carmack continued to twitch and squirm as he mumbled.

"Shut it down! Shut it down!" Carmack cried out before falling back to the table. "Shut it down, shut it down, shut it down." He continued to mumble as he seemed to settle down a little more. "It's, it's inside." He continued as I looked up at the others in the room. If that wasn't a eerie ominous message to hear, then I didn't know what was. Whatever had scared the crap out of Carmack was still in the labs, which meant the guys were in danger. Only we couldn't warn them, because we had no idea what we were warning them about. _Ominous and creepy- awesome. _Duke opened his mouth to speak when we heard the comms kick in.

"_We heard something in genetics. We're re-entering._" Reapers voice came over our comms

"_That's affirmative Reaper._" Sarge confirmed as I looked back down to Carmack. His eyes had glazed over and he was mumbling to himself. Janet went and fetched me some saline wipes as I started to clean up Carmack's neck. Duke was stood by the table as Janet and Sam worked on Carmack as well.

"Huh?" I sighed surprised and confused as I cleaned Carmack's neck.

"What is it?" Sam asked looking up at me.

"Come here," I requested, standing back a little as Sam moved round to the side of me. I wiped away some more dry blood from Carmack's neck. "Does that look like signs of healing to you?" I mused out loud, pointing to a patch of skin that was a lighter pink than the rest. Almost like scar tissue.

"Yeah, yeah it does." She concluded looking up at me when we heard more gunfire. Duke and I glanced at each other as he better adjusted the weapon in his hands.

"_Contact report!_" Sarge barked down our comms. For a heartbeat no one answered and I wondered what the hell they were shooting at.

"_We found another one of the scientists. There's some weird shit going on here Sarge._" Reaper replied cryptically.

"_Can you ID him?_" Sarge demanded as I glanced at Sam. Both her and Janet were listening to the conversation as well. I saw Janet hold her breath. I could only imagine what it would be like to be in her place.

"_We've got a Dr Olsen. He rushed us, crazy just like Carmack._" Reaper replied. Janet let out a small sigh as she and Sam continued to work on Carmack.

"_Is he dead?_" Sarge asked making me listen carefully. If Olsen was alive, there was a chance Sarge would send me to patch him up and bring him back to the infirmary.

"_Yeah, very._" Reaper sighed out and I relaxed a fraction. "_Shall we bag him and tag him?_" He went on to ask. I continued to work on Carmack's neck, cleaning away as much blood as possible.

"_Negative. Continue your search._" Sarge stated and the comms went dead again. Duke relaxed as he watched the three of us work. I could tell Duke wasn't comfortable with the silence we were working in, he fidgeted slightly with his gun every few seconds.

"So, Dani, Danica?" Duke asked glancing at me as I looked up and met his question.

"Yeah Duke?" I answered confused, completely missing his point.

"Danica?" He asked again, a smile crossing his lips as I understood. I let out a small groan, shooting a small friendly glare at Sam who in turn let out a small chuckle holding her hands up.

"I forgot. Sorry." She smirked back before returning to her work. I let out another small sigh rolling my eyes before turning my attention back to Duke.

"My parents were archaeologists and wanted a unique name for me. I hate it, so call me Danica and I'll kick you in the balls." I replied innocently with a small smile.

"But Sam can get away with it?" Duke questioned smirking at me, then Sam.

"I'm the best friend." Sam pointed out sharing a smile with the pair of us, before returning to her work when we heard more gunfire go off. Janet jumped and even Sam jumped slightly as me and Duke stood up perfectly still again.

"Everything good?" Duke asked tapping his ear as Janet took some blood from Carmack's arm.

"_Yeah, just getting rid of a rabid animal._" Sarge replied as we carried on. All the gun fire was making the women jumpy.

"Oh my god..." Janet cried out breathlessly making my eyes dart to her. The needle was full of blood, only it was so thick and had black grains in it. It almost looked like someone had mixed blood with coffee grains. "There's something in his blood." Janet concluded as Sam glanced from me to Carmack.

"What's happening to him?" She mused out loud. Carmack's appearance was changing in front of us. He was loosing his hair, his skin was going paler. His pupils were even changing shape.

"I've never seen anything like this before." I remarked looking to the women. "Could it be some kind of virus?" I queried looking from Janet to Sam.

"Virus? Like something we could catch?" Duke piped up as I glanced at him. He looked nervous and I couldn't blame him if this thing was contagious we could have all been infected already.

"We need to analyse his blood." Sam confirmed as she took the needle from Janet. Again more gunfire started, this time no one jumped. I watched as Carmack's iris flexed with a bright green, replacing the pale blue. It was the same eyes as the monsters I had seen when I travelled through the Ark. I paused looking into his eyes blinking in case I was actually seeing things. I blinked once more and his eyes flexed back to the pale blue. _This place is messing with my head._ I shook my head as I went back to cleaning his neck wound.

"_Reaper what you got?_" Sarge asked as I watched a part of Carmack's ear heal before my eyes. There was no way that I was seeing things then, his ear had healed completely. I cursed under my breath as I shook my head. Virus or not something was doing this to Carmack. Something that could be infectious. Something I had no idea how to defend against. My stomach rolled at the thought of fighting a virus I couldn't begin to imagine how to stop, a virus we might have all been exposed to.

"_We're chasing something!_" Reaper yelled back, breaking me from my thoughts. It sounded like he was running hard. I dropped the bloodied wipes onto the small table Janet had wheeled them over on and ripped off my gloves. My eyes darted to Duke who gave me a small nod.

"_What do you mean something?!_" Sarge snapped as I went and grabbed my P90 from the side, checking it was loaded.

"_Something big! Not human!_" Reaper yelled back as I looked at Duke. He was already readying himself to take off running.

"_God damn it! Give me confirmation on what you see Reaper!_" Sarge barked sounding really pissed off.

"_It's in the sewer. All units, all units South East corridor, near the med lab._" Reaper added as I swung my P90 round. Both me and Duke got ready to leave, we didn't even need to be told.

"_Duke, Bones, is Dr Carmack stable?_" Sarge barked in our ears. I glanced at Carmack as he laid perfectly still on the bed. His chest softly rising and falling, the only indication that he was alive.

"Yeah Sarge." Duke replied as I glanced at Sam as she put Carmack's blood into the microscope.

"_We're gonna need Bones back here. There could be more potential injured. Duke, keep Dr Grimm company._" Sarge ordered as we glanced at each other.

"Copy that Sarge, heading out now." I sighed glancing at Sam. She looked at me slightly worried but hid it well behind her professional expression.

"_Copy that._" Sarge replied as I headed to the nano wall with Sam.

"Be careful." Sam pleaded softly unlocking the door. I smirked back at her.

"Please, they only need me back to keep an eye on your brother." I joked making her chuckle softly before I glanced at Duke. "Keep her safe at all costs." I ordered to Duke who just nodded before I walked through the wall and jogged down the corridor. I ran through the atrium, past the growing number of people who were just continuing their business, buying into the fact that the UAC had everything under control. I let out a bitter laugh to myself as I pushed past some people. Lt Huengs tried to get my attention but I just ran for the air lock.


	8. Into The Depths Of Hell

Running to the sewer entry was like playing one of those scary shooters when you were under age. Your heart beats out of your chest, you pick up every little noise and your finger is just itching to pull the trigger. Usually it didn't matter if it was a creepy, poorly lit corridor caked in blood, an abandoned building where terrorists were setting up shop or a field of tall grass. I was trained to go solo in all situations, and control the feeling of dread and fear in my stomach. Usually the adrenaline would kick in and squash the other feelings. Usually didn't apply this time. I was on the edge of fear taking over. Olduvai put me on edge since we got here, the blood, the lack of lighting, the noises, they were just extra reasons to listen to the voice in the back of my head that was telling me to run. To grab Sam, John, the team, evacuate the place and come back with a couple of RRTS groups. _But you're a fucking Marine damn it! Man up! This is just another hell hole, another fight to get through. Get a grip Marine!_ The familiar voice of my old drill Sargent bounced around my head, snapping me a little from the fear. I knew the others were waiting on me, I didn't have time to run away like a scared little girl. I was a RRTS member. We didn't quit on things. I was close when my flash light started to flicker again. I cursed under my breath as I slapped it again, making it's full beam return. _Just what I need. No freaking backup or lights..._ I huffed as I rounded the final corner just as Kid and Portman reached the others.

"How's Carmack?" Sarge asked raising an eyebrow as we stood around, Kid and Goat shining their lights down the sewer cover.

"Deteriorating fast. He's," I replied as Portman looked from me to Sarge. I turned my back on Portman and leaned in closer to Sarge. "Sarge he's infected with something." I whispered as Sarge's eyes widened.

"What do you mean _something_?!" Sarge snapped watching me closely. His eyes narrowed on me, almost giving me the hard ass glare again.

"It's mutating his body, that's as much as we've got. Sam is looking into it." I explained softly, hoping that the others couldn't hear our conversation. The last thing we needed it Portman over reacting and terrifying the Kid.

"Could we be infected?" Sarge mused, I could see he was doing the Math in his head. How bad it could all get if we were all infected and how he would shut it all down. I glanced at the Kid who was still shining his light down the sewer.

"I can't confirm it, but there's a chance, yeah. If this thing is air born we could have been infected since we landed. If it's through contact, blood to blood we're safe, skin contact... We need more information before I can really say Sarge." I admitted returning my gaze to Sarge as Goat and Reaper walked over to us. I looked at Sarge as he weighed up what I told him.

"Everything ok Sarge?" Reaper asked looking from Sarge to me and back again.

"Yeah." Sarge grunted looking at Reaper before turning back to the rest of the group. "Portman, your first." Sarge barked as Portman muttered under his breath and moved the cover.

"I thought being in the shit was a figure of speech." Portman joked looking back up at us.

"Just get in the god damn hole Portman." Sarge barked making Portman screw up his face. Portman sighed, and started down the ladder, the others covering him.

"Bones, Kid, you next." Sarge ordered as I glanced at the Kid. He looked terrified to go down.

"Me first then." I sighed throwing my gun behind me as I started to climb down the ladder. As soon as my face got level with the entrance hole all I could smell was death, decay and shit. I wanted to gag at the smell, but honestly I had smelt worse on the battlefield. I took a deep breath as I started to move lower down. I could hear Portman at the bottom of the ladder, his light bouncing off the water.

"Hello Bones." Portman sang and I knew he was looking at my ass again.

"If I feel you touch my backside or any part of me while I climb down this ladder Portman I'm gonna make sure you never get out the sewer, understand?" I snarled as I noticed the Kid started to move down.

"Sure thing honey, anything you say." Portman smirked as I got lower. I thought I was two steps away from the bottom when I felt round for the next run. It wasn't there. I sighed letting go, and jumping into the thigh high water, splashing Portman slightly in the process. "Hey, watch it." He cried out, sulking slightly. I realised why he was sulking when the Kid nearly fell right into us, not checking for the run. Both me and Portman grabbed the Kid on instinct and helped him get a steady footing.

"Thanks." The Kid sighed moving away from the ladder slightly embarrassed about nearly falling into the putrid water.

"Thought I'd fall into your arms?" I teased Portman as I moved to cover our backs.

"I should be so lucky." He muttered as the others made their way down. Sarge was the last down, but everyone was screwing their faces up at the smell. It was disgusting, rotting and putrid. The Kid and Portman were gagging a little, you could hear them trying to stop themselves. I was wondering who was going to lose their lunch first. I was hoping it was Portman.

"_Tunnel ahead is the main junction. It leads back under the lab complex._" Pinky informed us as Sarge and Goat took the lead.

"Destroyer?" Sarge said as he turned to the big guy. "Cover the exit." Sarge ordered as the pair shared a nod. We started to move out. Goat and Sarge up front, Kid and Reaper and me and Portman at the back. We moved slowly through the water, firstly so we didn't splash each other with it, and secondly to make the noise levels as low as possible. Moving through water was always tricky, you never could see your footing, it soaked and weighed down your clothes and mostly it took more effort to move. But we had been trained to be used to the water, it was ok. The place was darker than the normal corridors, our torch lights the only lights in the place. You could hear things moving around in the water, but you had no idea if it was something or nothing. Moving in the dark made it feel like something was just out a sight watching you move. It put me on edge. Something I needed to keep under control; I needed to stay focused. We continued to move through the sewer when Sarge picked up a bloody lab coat. Goat shined his light onto the name badge.

"We've got a Dr Willits, Steve Willits." Sarge informed the rest of us and I let out a small sigh. Looked like Janet wasn't going to get her husband back and I felt bad for her. I shook the thought away as I felt something watching us in the distance. I shone my light behind us, my eyes scanned everything, anything that moved; it showed nothing.

"Bones?" Sarge barked as the others turned their lights my way too.

"It's nothing Sarge." I sighed lowering my light slightly as Portman gave me a stupid ass grin. I fought the urge to kick him in his balls again and readjusted my weapon.

"Let's keep moving then ladies." Sarge grunted as Portman moved to be in the middle of the group. Reaper fell back so that he was side by side with me. I still was facing backwards, my light bouncing off the water near by. I still felt like something was watching us. As the guys started to move out I let out a small sigh and started to move. I noticed Reaper hadn't join us, I glanced over my shoulder as he was looking down the tunnel I had been. He let out a small sigh and turned to face me as we moved back to the group. I wondered if he had the same feeling as me.

* * *

><p>"Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the Devil walks about seeking what he may devour." Goat quoted some scripture as we moved through the water. It was kinda fitting if a little off putting.<p>

"That's real comforting Goat. That ain't freaking me out at all." Portman replied sarcastically as we moved. Suddenly Portman gave out a yelp and disappeared into the water.

"Portman!" Goat yelled as we all ran to find him.

"What the fuck?!" Sarge yelled out as Reaper tossed his gun behind him and dived into the water trying to find Portman.

"Ah shit, did something get him?" Kid whined as both Goat and I swung our guns back and dived into the water. It was nearly touching my chin as I held my breath, feeling around and grabbing Portman's vest.

"Grab an arm!" Reaper yelled to Goat as all three of us tried to pull Portman up. It felt like something was pulling him down, making it twice as hard to pull him up. That and the fact Portman was flaying around like a headless chicken underwater. "That son of a bitch is heavy!" Reaper cried out as we pulled with all our weight as a counter balance. Finally we started to make some progress and Portman's head appeared out of the water. "Quick, he's slipping back! He's slipping!" Reaper yelled as we pulled Portman up and out of the water.

"Shit!" Portman cried out as I got to my feet and held my hand out to help Reaper up.

"Portman, what the hell happened?!" Sarge barked as Reaper stood up. Reaper and Goat were soaked up to their necks. I was just as soaked as Portman due to my size. The smell of sewer was well and truly stuck in our clothes. The water had got into my hair, I pulled it loose and squeezed my ponytail, getting the sewer water out of it and wiped my face, before picking up my P90 again. I hated that I was soaked and it was all Portman's damn fault. I had to try real hard not to kick him in the balls this time, really, really hard.

"I fell in the damn hole! Shit!" Portman explained, pointing to where he had fallen. Everyone let out a collective sigh as I glanced to Goat and Reaper. They looked as pissed off as I felt, we all glared at Portman, not that he could see it.

"Everybody on me! And watch your god damn footing! Move!" Sarge yelled at us as we started to move out again.

"Well congratulations Portman, that was your first bath in months." Reaper joked dryly as we started to move out.

"Smell better already." I added smirking to Reaper as we moved on. Portman just glared at the pair of us as he trudged along next to Goat.

"Well there is something." Portman replied as we moved.

"Oh yeah what's that?" Kid asked glancing behind to look at Portman. The only person who would take his bait.

"Least now we got us some wet t-shirt action." Portman said licking his lips as he glanced behind to me and Reaper. I let out a loud sigh, shaking my head. I just glanced to Reaper who was glaring at Portman. Portman didn't seem to care, he was grinning like an idiot.

"Leave it John, it's fine." I sighed looking at Reaper. He glanced at me surprised before letting out a sigh as Portman faced forward.

"You sure?" He asked softly, a frown crossing his features as his hazel eyes landed on mine.

"Yeah." I replied with a small nod. We carried on moving through the sewer, where water started to run down from above, it wasn't flooding down on us, but it was enough to soak us from above.

"Goat, Bones, straight ahead." Sarge ordered as I glanced to Goat.

"Sir." Goat said as I moved past the others to get level with Goat.

"Portman your with me, John take the Kid and go to the right." Sarge carried on ordering as me and Goat moved forward.


	9. I Shall Fear No Evil

We started to move down the sewer canal slowly, using our torch lights to light the way. The water was spilling down the walls, and dripping from points making ripples all over the water. Since I was soaked, my nose got used to the smell and I could actually ignore it. As we moved down Goat's light flickered and went out.

"Shit." He cursed looking over his shoulder to me.

"It's ok, we've still go my light." I confirmed sweeping over the area we were in. "Can you fix it?" I asked glancing to Goat. He hit the side of the light and it flickered back on.

"Shall we?" Goat smirked as we continued down the tunnel. I covered our backside while Goat led the way. We moved nearly silently through the tunnel, sweeping the area for any sign of the thing he and Reaper had chased down here. We knew it was fast, big and apparently a killer, Willits jacket accounted to that. I just hoped that in the water it would be loud, sluggish with the resistance from the sewer water. My light flickered slightly and I shook my gun, making it stay on. "Trouble with your light too?" Goat asked glancing over his shoulder to me. He looked a little concerned but not too worried.

"It's ok, been doing it all mission." I sighed out softly as we paused and swept a circle.

"What made you want to join the RRTS Doctor?" Goat suddenly asked, his eyebrow arched as he looked at me. "You don't strike me as the type to join up." He added watching me readjust my P90 strap.

"John." I replied with a small smile. Goat looked surprised at my answer, so I went on to clarify. "I just wanted to be a field medic, he wanted to join the RRTS. Convinced me I could do more good being a privatized marine. So we signed up together." I shrugged as Goat's light flickered again and went out. He frowned at his gun as I sighed. "Can you fix it this time?" I asked softly in my gut I already knew the answer.

"No." He said hitting the side of the light and getting nothing.

"I'll take point, you stay on my six, ok?" I offered sweeping the area, not that my light showed me anything useful.

"Ok Bones." Goat nodded as we switched positions so that I was in front. "Sarge my light's out, Bones lighting the way." Goat informed the others.

"_Copy that Goat, keep your eyes peeled. Over._" Sarge replied as we continued a few more steps when I thought I heard something behind us. I turned quickly, sweeping my light left to right. My heart was racing in my chest as I looked out into the darkness and saw nothing, not even a ripple in the water.

"This place." I huffed seeing nothing. I was starting to get jumpy, I knew it wouldn't do any of us any good being jumpy. Least of all Goat since he was relying on my light as well as myself.

"This is mealy another challenge thrown to us by God, he gives us nothing we can not handle Bones." Goat repeated his words almost like a script, clearly he had said it all before, he looked at me with so much conviction in his words. I opened my mouth to ask Goat why God gets to choose how much you can get through when my light flickered and went out.

"Another challenge?" I asked dryly, smacking the side of my light in hopes it would flicker back on again. I took a better look at my light and could see water inside the actual bulb area. The little fishing trip with Portman had done more damage than just wet clothes and bad smells.

"He likes to challenge us." Goat smirked as I looked up and met his gaze. I opened my mouth to argue when the comms kicked in again.

"_Goat, Bones, I think there's something coming up on you._" Reaper whispered and I cursed under my breath tightening my grip on my P90.

"This isn't happening." Goat uttered in a hushed whisper. "Both lights are down." I reached into my pocket and pulled out my pen light, clicking it on.

"I trust you've got the better aim on me." I whispered holding the light out to Goat. "Take it, shoot whatever moves. We'll go back to back, that way nothing can jump us, ok?" I offered as Goat took the pen, I pulled out a hair bobble and passed it over. Goat attached the pen light to the top of his gun. It really didn't give much light, but it was better than nothing.

"I have Bones pen light, it's not much, neither of us can see anything." Goat explained to the others in a hushed whisperer again as we went back to back. My heart started to race as I took a deep calming breath. I tightened my grip on my P90, my eyes scanning the darkness for any movement. Finally the adrenaline kicked in and my training took over.

"_Stay where you are, I'm on my way._" Reaper replied softly as I felt Goat's back tense up.

"Pinky, can you see anything?" Goat whispered as I struggled to make out anything in the darkness. My night vision was ok, but with the moving water, I had no chance. Everything looked like something in the darkness.

"_No, nothing._" Pinky replied when we heard a hissing noise come from just behind us to my left. I tapped Goat on his right arm and we both back up slightly so we could get a better view. Goat turned so he was facing the thing and I moved so I was stood by his side. The small pen light landed on a pair of eyes in the darkness, it was all you could make out from the dim light.

"Doctor Willits?" Goat called out softly when another eight eyes opened and it lunged at us. The Thing went straight for Goat's neck, slamming me away with one strong arm. I went spinning as Goat's scream bounced off the walls.

"_Goat! Bones!_" Reaper cried out in my ear as my head smashed into the corner of some torn metal. I slipped into the water, my vision turned black as I lost consciousness for a few seconds.

* * *

><p>"<em>Report in!<em>" Sarge barked in my ear, but it was fuzzy, gargled and distant sounding. It was enough to bring me round though, and made me realise I was under the water.

"_Bones! Goat!_" Reaper cried out, the fear in his voice coming through loud and clear. I started to choke and forced myself to push up out of the water. My whole body felt like jelly. Everything was screaming out in pain and I had no idea what was happening or where the hell I was. My vision blurred as I tried to focus on anything, something to keep me from dropping back into the water again.

"_Goat, Bones what is your position damn it?!_" Sarge barked as I gasped for air, I found my P90 and aimed at the Thing, it was sucking on Goat's neck. I couldn't believe my eyes, the Things tongue sticking out, latching onto him. My vision blurred as I squinted to try and make a single image. I didn't want to shoot Goat by mistake. I couldn't really describe the Thing, it was grey, had way too many eyes and muscle upon muscle. Thing was the best description I had for it. It instantly reminded me of the monsters I had seen through my Ark travel. A shiver ran through me, quickly fallowed by vomit shooting out of my mouth uncontrollably.

"_Where are you?!_" Reaper cried out in my ear as I jumped and squeezed my trigger. I wasn't sure I could even shoot straight, I felt the blood run down the side of my face, into my eye, stinging it. My heart was racing; the fear had gripped me tight, crushing me under my own weight. I blinked, realising fear wouldn't help Goat, and I _had_ to help Goat. I was the only one who could help him right now.

"Contact, North sew-" I started to explain when the Thing turned to me detaching it's tongue. It let out a roar, clearly being pissed off at being shot at.

"_Danica!_" Reaper screamed as The Thing charged, grabbing my face with one hand and using its other hand to the rip the gun from me. It let out an almighty twisted cry before plunging me into the water. The fight or flight instinct kicked in and I panicked as I clawed at it's hand, trying anything I could to make it let go of me. I thought I was going to die in the water. I thought I wouldn't be able to help Goat. The hand started to squeeze, it was slowly crashing my skull. I loosing oxygen fast and knew I needed to get out of the water. _What the hell you think you playing at Marine? Don't just lay there, react!_ My old drill Sargent's voice bounced around my head snapping me from my primal instincts. I stopped clawing at the Thing and ran my hand down my leg to find my knife. I wrapped my fingers around the handle when the Thing dragged me around one hundred and eighty degrees, screaming at something above the water. The movement totally threw me and I lost grip on the knife. _I'm going to die... I'm going to die in Hell._ The next thing I knew bullets were being fired and the Thing let go of my face, running down the tunnel. I dove up out of the water, gasping and spluttering for air as I looked for my P90 on instinct. The air stung my lungs, burning my airways as I tried to remain above the water. My fingers wrapped around the strap as I pulled it closer to me.

"Contact!" Reaper yelled as he charged up to me. His eyes widened as his light landed on me, I could only imagine what I looked like. My eyes stung with a mixture of the blood and sewer water, my skull felt too small for my brain and I wasn't sure if I could even stay vertical.

"_Contact... confirmed!_" Sarge's gargled voice came through my ear piece as I looked at Reaper.

"Can you move?" Reaper asked softly, his eyes locking with me for a minute before his eyes scanned around us.

"I... yeah." I slurred as his eyes darted to me. He didn't look convinced but I just held my P90 firmly to show I could still do my job. Granted I was working purely on adrenaline, but it was keeping me going for now. He nodded for me to fall behind me. I started to move but fell back into the water, my legs wouldn't work properly. He grabbed me, pulling me out of the water and shoving me behind him. I stumbled back towards Goat, reaching into my pocket for another medical kit as Reaper moved forward. My fingers shook as I tried to focus through the pounding in my head. My body was going into shock, and I didn't have the luxury of letting it happen. Goat was bleeding out from his neck, I needed to stop the bleeding. That was as complex as my brain would work. I heard the Thing roar as Reaper shone his light on it. I took a second to glance as Reaper punched the Thing and shot at it. I looked back at Goat and pulled out a sterile bandage, pushing it down on his neck. The blood instantly started to soak through, the red spots forming within seconds. I heard something splash into the water and I prayed it was the Thing and not John. I held the bandage on as I used my forearm to wipe the blood from my eyes. I used my free hand to route in my pack for some quick cot when I heard movement coming towards me. _Please be John, please be John, please be John._

"Man down! Man down!" Reaper yelled as he rushed to my side, taking the kit from me as I slumped into the wall next to Goat. That was it, now I knew I was safe the adrenaline left me with a rush. I felt the bile rise into my throat and did everything I could not to throw up. There wasn't a part of me that wasn't screaming out in pain. "Dani, hey stay with me." Reaper begged opening the kit and tossing it onto Goat's neck.

"Trying..." I mumbled as the others appeared and my vision fell in and out of focus. My body screaming out to just shut down to get away from the pain.


	10. The Righteous Man Has Fallen

Sarge and Reaper carried Goat as we moved from the tunnels, as soon as I climbed up from the ladder, I dropped to my knee's and threw up a little more. I didn't think I had anything left to throw up. The bile burnt my throat as I spat out the last of it onto the ground. My whole body was screaming out in pain. I just had to hold it together, Goat was worse than me.

"Kid, help Bones to her feet." Sarge said almost softly as the Kid dropped onto a knee next to me.

"Come on Bones, nice and easy." The Kid soothed softly, helping me to my feet and looping an arm under mine as we started to walk. Destroyer and Portman had bagged the Thing and were dragging it behind them as we moved through the corridors and out into the atrium. As soon as we entered the main lobby people were gasping at us, I could feel their eyes dart from Goat to me, neither of us looked great, but at least I was moving on my own. If you didn't count the Kid. I couldn't focus on anything, blood was still running down my face into my eyes and the thumping in my head wasn't getting any softer. The Kid had passed me a bandage to press against my head but it wasn't doing much good.

"Everyone get to the Ark now! Huengs get everyone through the Ark and set up a quarantine and evacuate the entire facility! Get everyone to the Ark now!" Sarge barked in front of us as Huengs came over to us.

"What's happening?" He asked, the panic was clear in his voice as he looked at Goat.

"Get to the God Damn Ark!" Sarge barked as we marched past everyone and headed straight to the infirmary. As we turned the corner down to the infirmary we heard the people panic stricken start to head to the Ark room. We walked through a nano wall and Sarge and Reaper put Goat on the table Carmack was on when we cleaned him up. I wiped the blood from my forehead as the Kid lent me against a trolley and went to help.

"Oh my god, what happened?" Sam asked shocked walking over to us and seeing how bad Goat was. Her gaze met mine as I shook my head softly. Sam went pale as her eyes landed on me.

"He was talking about Devils." Portman uttered as he just stared at the body, he didn't look like he knew what to do. The Kid was next to Portman, neither of them seemed to know what to do. Reaper, Destroyer and Duke were pulling things over, getting things set up.

"Devils?" Sam asked confused. The guys needed help and I knew I could help. I had to help. Goat was like that because of me. I gripped the trolley tightly as I forced myself to stand up straight. My vision doubled for a second as I shook my head, knocking it back into one.

"Good and evil all that kinda shit." Portman answered, his eyes locked on Goat's motionless body. He was in shock and for once I couldn't blame him.

"We need to get this vest off!" Reaper yelled as I pushed myself away from the table. Some deep reserve of adrenaline kicked into my body, a burst that was going to get me through the next few minutes.

"Kid, apply pressure to the neck." I slurred softly as I moved to stand by the side of Reaper.

"You should really sit down." He grunted glancing at me as I started to find a vein to start a drip. I met his gaze, there was worry shining behind his hazel eyes. He was worried about me being hurt. I was a medic, treating others before me was part of the job.

"After we save Goat." I replied as it came out more slurred than I would have liked. I gave him a small smile and Reaper returned it. I focused on finding the vein, and it did really take all my focus. I blinked twice, clearing my vision before injecting him. As I looked up the others were watching me, a look of admiration on their faces.

"Air ways clear." Destroyer confirmed as Duke felt for a pulse. Reaper placed sensors on Goat's chest.

"Got a weak pulse." Duke added grimly, looking up and seeing the blood on my face run past my eye. I wiped at it giving Duke a sad smile as he gave me a sympathetic smile.

"Line's in." I confirmed as I looked at the monitors. The pulse was really weak. I knew Goat had already lost a lot of blood in the sewer.

"Come on man!" Destroyer cried out as he put a bag over Goat's mouth.

"Kid keep pressure on that wound!" Reaper yelled as he put something into the drip. I reached over Goat and passed Kid more padding. He slipped them on and kept the pressure on, the Kids hands shaking slightly as he watched everyone work on Goat.

"How's the pulse?" Reaper asked Duke as he continued injecting something.

"I'm losing him!" Duke cried out as I wiped the blood from my eye with my forearm again. I stumbled backwards slightly, but no one noticed because we were all focused on Goat.

"Sam get me a shot of adrenaline." Reaper ordered to Sam, who just moved and did exactly what he asked. Suddenly the machine went to the single string beep. Goat's heart had stopped beating.

"Damn it! Starting chest compressions, on me Destroyer." I ordered glancing at the big guy as I started compressions on Goat's chest. Everyone stood perfectly still as they watched me and Destroyer work on Goat.

"Come on man, come on." Duke pleaded from his side of Goat. Each compression was making me see double, this much exertion after a blow to the head wasn't brilliant. But I had to try and save Goat. I had to save Goat. I felt sick to my stomach as each compression did nothing to end that horrid cry the machine was making. We worked for about a minute with no change.

"Damn it." I huffed, blinking as the blood ran into my eye again. I glanced at Reaper who knew what I was thinking.

"Ok, let's defib!" Reaper nodded, grabbing the pads and passing them to me, while he charged the machine. I placed the pads on Goat's skin, but it was already starting to feel cold.

"Come on Goat." Destroyer begged as we all worked on him. The machine charged and Reaper picked up the paddles.

"Clear!" He yelled before zapping Goat. His body bounced up in the air and then fell flat again. The machine started to beat with a rhythm, we got him back.

"We've got a beat, weakening pulse. We need to stabilise him John." I confirmed looking over at Reaper who just nodded already knowing it.

"Where the hells Carmack?" Sarge asked firmly as I passed the Kid more pads. Goat was bleeding out fast. The quick cot seemed to be doing nothing to help.

"He disappeared." Sam paused, looking at Sarge as she answered.

"What do you mean he disappeared?!" Sarge snapped at Sam. I glanced up and Sarge was glaring hard at Sam, the fury boiling over in his skin.

"He's gone, he disappeared." Sam answered when the machine started it's single beep again.

"It's gone, I've lost his pulse." Duke sighed defeated as we looked at Goat again.

"Shit." Destroyer muttered under his breath as the guys looked completely lost.

"Ok, I'm gonna defib, clear!" Reaper yelled shocking Goat's body again. Once again it jumped into the air before falling flat to the table. This time the machine kept up it's single beep.

"Come on, come on." Duke pleaded as everyone looked at the machine. No one dared take a breath, we were all praying that the machine would kick back into rhythm any second.

"No response." Reaper sighed glancing at me. I nodded knowing just as well as Reaper that we were running out of options.

"We're loosing him." Duke cried out glancing at the rest of us. Everyone was looking to Reaper and me to do something. To bring him back from the dead. I glanced at him and he raised an eyebrow, somehow I just knew what he was asking. I nodded in agreement it was our last hope.

"Sam get me that adrenaline." Reaper ordered as Sam passed him the needle. He plunged it straight into Goat's chest. We watched in silence as it had no effect. Everyone felt so helpless watching Goat die right in front of our eyes.

"Come on you son of a bitch!" Reaper cried out, picking up the paddles again. "Ok, we're going again. Clear!" And again he shocked Goat to no effect. The machine just continued to make that horrible noise as we stared at Goat's body. I turned the machine off, knowing what we all knew. "He's gone." Reaper murmured looking to the floor. I closed Goat's eyes as Reaper took one of his dog tags. He walked away kicking a trolley as he passed. I staggered backwards slightly, grabbing the edge of the table to stop myself from falling onto the floor. Everything was in a blur of two images, the blood stung my eyes as I fought to keep what I had in my stomach on the inside. Spots started to form in my eyes as the pain in my head tripled.

"Damn it." I cursed under my breath as I closed my eyes and fought to keep on my feet. Just like that all my adrenaline had left my body again. My body was caving to the pressure of the shock that ran through my veins. I had nothing left, no more reserves that I could pull on to keep me going.

"Doctor, you are going to tell me just _what the fuck_ is going on up here!" Sarge yelled as I opened my eyes and looked up. He was looming towards Sam, the rage clear to see as he moved. I glanced and John still had his back to everyone, leaning on a desk. Something twinged in me, a feeling to protect Sam at any cost. She was practically family anyway.

"What?" She cried out standing up for herself. That Grimm backbone kicking in.

"Come here." Sarge barked walking over to the bag. "Come here! This is what!" Sarge barked again when he noticed Sam wasn't moving. She walked over to Sarge as he flung back the black sack revealing the Thing.

"Ohh God!" Sam cried out, backing away slightly as she saw the Thing.

"Have you found anything like this on your archaeological digs?" Sarge asked firmly. Sam looked from the Thing to Sarge.

"No." She said firmly holding her own against Sarge.

"Is there any way this thing came from the outside, the surface?" Sarge continued with his barrage of questions. The rage was bursting out of each word he spoke.

"The planet is completely dead." Sam replied firmly.

"It came from somewhere lady!" Portman bit in.

"Portman- Shut up!" Sarge barked to Portman, who shut up instantly.

"The atmosphere on the surface can't support life." Sam explained to Portman.

"Maybe it doesn't need air? Maybe it came from another planet or something?!" Portman argued back getting so worked up.

"What like an alien?" She bit back sarcastically.

"LOOK AT THAT THING!" Portman yelled at Sam as I stood up as straight as I could manage. I was ready to move to help Sam if she needed it, be it protecting her from Portman or Sarge. She was family and family always came first.

"Portman you need to shut the fuck up!" Sarge barked at Portman, making him stop instantly.

"That's not what we saw!" Reaper spoke up as I glanced over my shoulder to him. "That's not what me and Goat shot at in Genetics." He explained shaking his head a little.

"You're telling me there's more of these fucking things?!" Portman asked looking over to Reaper. I noticed the Kid pale slightly.

"Where are your surface entry points?" Sarge asked Sam, his glare still in place.

"There's a pressure door at the end of the North corridor." Sam explained avoiding eye contact with him.

"Destroyer, you, Kid and Portman get there on the double. Give me an update." Sarge ordered bluntly.

"Yes sir." Destroyer said firmly as the others just started to move.

"Whatever this thing is, it can not get back through the Ark." Sarge added as John came and stood next to me. I shared a look with him as we turned to Sam, all three of us were thinking the same thing. "Mac?" Sarge barked tapping his ear piece.

"_Yes sir?_" Mac asked over the comms

"I want you to arm Pinky with a weapon, some ST grenades and seal the Ark door." Sarge ordered firmly.

"There's one more door." I said softly making everyone turn to me. My voice was still slurred and I had to take a breath to close my eyes and make the world stay as a single image. I opened my eyes and Sarge was waiting for me to be ready to continue.

"Where?" Sarge asked softer as he looked at me, I opened my mouth to continue when John cut me off.

"The entrance to the archaeological dig." He explained glancing to Sam as a knot formed in my stomach.


	11. Aftermath

Sarge sent Destroyer, Portman and Kid off while Duke moved Goat's body out of the way. I sat on a stool with John sat in front of me taking a look at my head. Sarge was stood by the door, his arms folded as he thought about everything. Sam was studying the Imp, she decided to call it. The room was silent as everyone worked on their own business. My head was pounding and I still felt sick, but at least the pain was dulling to a constant instead of a screaming kind of pain. I was thankful for small miracles.

"You took quite a blow Dani." John frowned as he managed to stop the bleeding. "You're lucky you've still got your skull in one piece." He added as his eyes frittered between my head wound and my eyes.

"I figured." I sighed as I watched John pick up a needle and thread. "Tell me you're good at stitches." I begged as Sarge walked over to us. John gave me a small smile which I returned. John held my head as he lined up the first stitch he was going to put in.

"What happened in the tunnel Bones?" Sarge barked at me, as John started to stitch up my head. The sting of the needle threading through my skin was nothing compare to the pain my body felt. I struggled to organise my thoughts into an answer.

"Goats light went out, then mine; fishing Portman from the water damaged it." I explained closing my eyes as I took a deep breath. I tried to organise my thoughts so they made sense. In my head it was all a jumble of different events, nothing made real sense. "John called to let us know we had movement. I found my pen light, gave to it Goat, figured he'd have better aim. We... we called Pinky for his view, when he replied we heard it growl. We turned and it jumped us." I answered opening my eyes and meeting John's. His eyes caught mine straight away, he still looked worried about me.

"What do you mean it _jumped you_?" Sarge asked looming over John's shoulder. I looked up at Sarge then back into John's eyes. Looking up hurt, that and talking to John made it easier to speak. I let out a small sigh and forced myself to remember as much as I could. I frowned slightly as I the memory was more of a blur than anything else.

"It jumped forward, threw me out of the way and went straight for Goat... I smashed my head on something, blacked out for a few seconds. When I came too, I was under the water, you two screaming to know what was happening." I answered, my eyes flicking to Sarge then back to John's. Sarge sighed as he walked back to the side of the door, folding his arms over his chest. John tugged at the last stitch, tying it off neatly.

"There all done." John replied inspecting his stitching skills looking impressed with himself.

"It's gonna scar huh?" I asked as his hazel eyes met my own. For a second John just looked into my eyes, the look said enough though. His eyes said that this was just the beginning, that things probably were about to get a lot worse. Looking back, I wonder if he knew on the surface what his eyes told me. I wonder if my eyes told the same thing to him.

"Not that badly." John replied honestly before turning to the trolley next to him.

"I guess I should just be thankful I'm alive right now." I sighed out softly letting out a shaky breath as I re-grouped myself.

"Why didn't it go for you?" John asked picking up a bandage, placing it over the stitches.

"I figure it's because Goat had the light." I answered honestly as John pressed it on. I winced slightly at the pain. John grabbed a pen light and shone it in my eyes. I screwed my face up, the bright light hurt my eyes more than the blood and sewer water stung them.

"You've got a nasty concussion Dani," John sighed holding my chin as he checked my eyes out. I tried to move back but he held my chin still. "I think it might be best-" He started to say as I pulled back and stood up quickly making the stool screech on the floor. I knew exactly what John was about to suggest.

"I'm not staying in here John." I said firmly as Sarge looked over to us, my voice louder than any noise coming from the others.

"That cuts only _just_ stopped bleeding, you were nearly drowned by that Imp." John argued throwing his hand in the direction of the thing Sam was crouched over. "You nearly died Dani." He added looking me straight dead in the eyes. There was nothing but worry and fear shining in his eyes as he looked at me. The fear of losing someone else so close to him, after all there was only me and Sam left.

"I know. Goat did die." I ground out firmly setting my jaw and holding my gaze with John. "I'm going back out there." I grunted just as firmly, grabbing my P90 and adjusting the strap. The eyes of the whole room were on us. For the first time ever, I was causing the tension, I was causing the problem with one of the twins.

"Dani-" John growled a little as Sarge walked over to us. He was scared for me, terrified I was going to go out there and end up just like Goat. I could see it on his face, in his eyes. This wasn't _Reaper_ talking or _Sargent Grimm_ speaking, this was John, the scared, alone boy talking to me.

"What's wrong?" Sarge asked looking from me to John, his presence looming over the pair of us.

"Nothing sir." I said looking straight at John. My eyes never left his as John glared at me, the anger boiling over in his hazel eyes.

"Something I need to know Reaper?" Sarge asked looking at John, who turned his head to Sarge.

"She's got a bad concussion, I think it'd be best if she stayed here with Sam." John answered refusing to look at me. I was glaring at him, there was no way in hell I was letting anyone stop me from going back out there.

"Bones?" Sarge asked as I looked at him. "How you feeling?" He asked firmly as he studied me.

"Ready to find more of those bastards and waste them." I said firmly. Sarge nodded liking the answer I gave him, he gave me the smallest of smiles.

"I don't see a problem here Reaper." Sarge grunted to John before heading back to the door. Sam popped her head up as she and Duke watched us. The tension in the room was so thick and for once it wasn't caused by the twins. This was probably the first time I had ever really wanted to take a swing at John in all the years I'd known him.

"Sarge, with a head wound like that-" John argued fallowing Sarge

"I am a doctor John, I know how bad I am." I butted in fallowing him. John stopped and turned to face me, frustration on his face, fear in his eyes.

"You know, really?" John snapped at me, the tension bubbling over. Everyone in the room seemed to hold their breathe

"Yeah I do!" I snapped back, glaring at him.

"If you black out in the field, those things could kill you." John snarled threw grit teeth squaring up to me. In his eyes there wasn't anger, not even a hint of it, just pure fear. The fear of losing another person. His parents, Sam in a way, Jumper, Goat I don't think he could take loosing one more person so close to him.

"And if I stay here and black out, Sam could die." I counter argued, as John glanced at Sam momentarily. "I'm going back out John." I added looking dead in his eyes. I knew he wasn't remotely happy about it. He was glaring at me, his hazel eyes drilling into the back of my skull as I just stood there perfectly still looking back into his eyes. The door to the infirmary opened and Mac walked in breaking the tension in the room.

"Gear up, we're leaving, that means Bones as well." Sarge barked as I looked to John one last time before heading towards the door. John grunted at me as I walked past him, clearly he wasn't happy about any of it.

"I hear your light went out." Mac said as I reached them. I sighed looking over to Goat's cloth covered body.

"Yeah it did." I sighed softly as Mac passed me a new light.

"Thought this might help. It's a spare Pinky had." Mac explained with a warm smile. I took it and attached it to my gun.

"Remind me to thank him." I sighed softly.

"I will. How's your head?" Mac asked as I looked up at him. I gave him a small smile.

"Tender." I replied, turning as John whispered something to Sam. The pair looked over to me and I nodded to Sam. I wanted her to know I was going to be ok. Sam walked over to me, that head strong look on her face.

"Dani, be careful out there." Sam looked like she was almost pleading with me as she pulled me into a hug. "I couldn't... Don't die." She whispered into my ear. All the time I was looking over at John who was watching us.

"I wont. I promise." I whispered back as we pulled out of the hug.

"Marines! Move out!" Sarge yelled looking at all of us scattered around the medical room.


	12. Facing Old Demons

We moved in silence Sarge and Mac in front with me and Reaper behind. I caught Reaper checking on me every few moments. I ignored him as we all moved silently through the dark dank corridors to the excavation site. I could have led us there with my eyes closed, when I was younger it was the only place I felt safe, that was a life time ago now.

"Pinky, we're entering the archaeological dig site now." Sarge informed Pinky as we went into the dig site, the rubble walls were a welcome change from the creepy corridors. There were squeaks for lack of a better word coming from one of the off shoots of the mud room we were in. Sarge glanced over to me and Reaper and nodded for us to check it out. I glanced at Reaper to take the lead. He nodded and we moved off towards the noise. We cleared the way working as a two man crew, sweeping in circles as we moved down the corridors. Once upon a time it wouldn't have mattered that the lights were out, I would have been peaceful just wondering around, looking at all the finds. Now. Now was a different story, now I was ready to shoot the first thing that moved. There was a breeze coming through the rocks, it sent shivers down my spine as I focused as much of my attention on clearing the area rather than how uneasy the whole place now made me feel. Suddenly some rocks fell, in a heartbeat both me and John shone our lights on the rock fall. My heart started to race faster than before. I glanced at John as he looked over at me. We were sharing the same expression. We knew how much a few loose rocks could take away from you.

"You ok?" I whispered softly lowering my gun slightly. All the anger I had for him disappeared seeing the rocks falling. It reminded me how quickly things could be taken away from you.

"No. You?" John asked watching me carefully.

"No." I answered honestly as we continued to move down the corridor. Ever step felt like a vice was tightening round my chest. The fear was controlling me. I couldn't help it, as soon as I saw the rocks fall I knew where exactly we were. We were standing feet away from where our parents died. Where my father died. After the evacuation back to Earth I tried to block out that place. I erased it from my mind, or so I thought. I knew coming back to Olduvai, facing the demons of my past would involve coming back to the place where my life fell apart. It was one thing knowing it, a completely different ball game standing there. We moved closer to a window vent, my heart pounding in my chest as I couldn't tear my eyes away from the small window.

"I've never been so scared in my life." I uttered so softly I wasn't sure John could hear me. The tremble in my voice was so clear, the fear had gripped me.

"Me either." He replied in a soft hush as he hit the button that opened the vents. Sure enough we were standing, looking onto the site where they all died. My eyes scanned the red rocks, the way they fell down into the man made cavern. My hands started to shake slightly as I remembered walking into the medical room, holding John's bandaged hand when the ground shook. It was worse than any earthquake I had felt back on Earth. I remember gripping John's hand out of fear as all three of us huddled together as the lights flickered and the nurse inside called for us to huddle near her. I remember when the technicians ran in screaming that the rocks had fallen, crushing our parents. I remember Sam crying, John just hugging her, the shock and confusion plastered on his face. I remember looking at the pair and just feeling completely alone. I remember John holding his bloody bandaged hand out to me, the tears in his eyes as I ran over and we all held each other. I remember when they brought the bodies in, John and Sam screaming. I couldn't make a noise, but they were screaming so loud. The nurse knocked them out, telling me it was for the best. I remember the marines winking at me as they moved in from the Ark, organising the evacuation of the site until it was deemed safe. I remember never leaving Sam and Johns sides all the way until the Ark travel.

"I can't believe how much I remember." I whispered out, as I touched the vents with a shaky hand. My voice was laced with a million emotions I had buried long ago.

"It never leaves you." John replied looking down at me as we both shared a knowing look. I nodded taking my hand back when we heard footsteps behind us.

"Is this where it happened?" Sarge asked from behind us. I couldn't answer him, I could barely talk to Sam and John about it all. I bowed my head as I tried to fight the fear gripping my whole body.

"Did you find the door?" Reaper asked changing the subject as quickly as he could. Sarge stood there for a moment before disappearing down the corridor. I looked up at John and shook my head.

"I'm sorry I'm being a dick to you. I just can't... if I fall here, you've got Sarge and Mac to cover your back. If I fall with Sam, who has she got to keep her safe?" I asked softly hoping to make him see why I was so determined to get back out here.

"Let's just find the door. Get the hell out of here?" John asked closing the vent as we both watched the most horrific part of our lives fall back into darkness.

"_John, Bones._" Sarge's voice came over the comms and we fallowed the direction he went.

* * *

><p>We fallowed Sarge until we reached the air lock. Sarge was crouched over two dead bodies, checking I.D's. The bodies both shared the same morbid expression of utter fear. They were running for their lives just as much as Dr. Carmack.<p>

"Clay. Thurman." Sarge confirmed as I looked at the bodies. "Look at them. They weren't trying to stop something from getting in. Something stopped them from getting out."

"One of those things?" I asked looking from Sarge to Reaper. The answer already clear for all three of us.

"Your guess is as good as mine Bones." Sarge sighed tapping his ear. "Mac hang tight. Destroyer report."

"_We've reached the air lock, it's secure. Console indicates that nothing has come in or out for the last twenty-six hours._" Destroyer confirmed to us when we herd a thud from down the corridor.

"Mac?" Reaper whispered as we raised our guns and moved out. Reaper in front, me then Sarge. We worked as a unit clearing the corridors.

"Mac?" Sarge asked as we moved silently but quickly back towards Mac's position.

"Mac come in." I added as we moved. A part of me knew why he wasn't answering.

"Mac!" Sarge almost hissed as Mac still didn't reply to us. We cleared the corridors sweeping it in pairs as Sarge jogged to keep look out. "Talk to me Mac, talk to me!" Sarge almost begged as we continued to move. I got a bad feeling about it all as we got closer and Mac still hadn't replied. Sarge turned the corner before us and cried out. "Shit!"

"Mac." I whispered out as we came round the corner and saw Mac's body detached from his head, it looked like a clean cut. I crossed myself, taking some solecist in the fact it was a quick death. I didn't have much time to think about Mac because we heard a growl, similar to the growl I heard before Goat and I was attacked. I raised my gun and looked at Reaper and Sarge. We were all thinking the same thing, we just needed to know which way it was coming for us.

"Contact!" Reaper yelled firing at something down the corridor we had just come down. We took attack formation, I dropped to my knee covering Reaper as he took the lead and Sarge fallowed.

"We're in pursuit moving fast out of the dig!" Sarge yelled taking off after Reaper. As soon as they started to move I got to my feet, and covered our backs fallowing after the pair who took it in turns to cover the other as we chased the monster down the corridors back out of the dig. "Pinky what do you see?!" Sarge barked as we all fired at the moving shadow.

"_It's big, very big._" Pinky confirmed, not that it was that helpful to us. "_Moving fast, back towards the lab complex._" He added as we moved out of the dig site, through the back to the corridors that were a maze. We reached the corner just before the labs and saw the blood smears heading inside.

"It's back in the lab." Sarge confirmed as we all took a beat to look at each other. It was a bad, bad thing that the creature had gotten that far. Reaper took the lead going in first with Sarge fallowing both cleared the corridor as I continued to watch our flank. I backed into the corridor and glanced as The Kid, Portman and Destroyer came back. "Damn it's fast!" Sarge growled shaking his head.

"Did you get it?"The Kid asked as we all looked at each other. Sarge shook his head, cursing under his breath.

"All round defence men!" Sarge ordered as we grouped up in a circle. The Kid, and Destroyer turned their back on us making a protective circle as I continued to watch the way we came in. I knew the damn thing were fast, I knew it could sneak up on us. "Pinky?!" Sarge sighed looking annoyed.

"_Yes Sarge?_" Pinky asked.

"Anything gets through that door, use an ST grenade! It can not get back to Earth!" Sarge ordered looking at all of us. We knew just how much damage this thing could do on Earth.

"No, if he pops an ST in there he's going to blow the Ark!" Portman cried out terrified that he was going to get stuck on the planet with the things.

"Reaper, Kid cover formation, sweep the floors go." Sarge ordered completely ignoring Portman whining. Reaper and Kid took off taking a second to glance back at us. I met Reaper's hazel eyes and gave him a small nod which he returned.

"Destroyer, you and Portman stay here, shut the air lock, maintain a perimeter." Sarge ordered Destroyer as Portman got more worked up.

"How the hell are we supposed to get the fuck home?!" Portman cried out to Sarge. I looked from Destroyer to Portman and finally to Sarge. Portman was on the edge of freaking out, thankfully Sarge knew how to handle him.

"Portman, shut the fucking door!" Sarge glared at Portman, making him instantly scurry away and well, shut the fucking door.

"Sarge?" I asked as Sarge looked at Portman scurrying away. I wasn't sure where I was going yet.

"Where are you heading?" Destroyer asked Sarge. In turn Sarge grinned from Destroyer to me.

"Me and the good doctor here are heading to the armoury. I think we're going to need something with a bit more kick. On me Bones." Sarge said looking over to me. I adjusted my strap and nodded, fallowing Sarge down the corridor and away from everyone else.


	13. BFG

I fallowed Sarge down a few corridors letting him take the lead as I covered our backs. We moved past a few corridors before I decided to speak up.

"Sarge you know we're going the wrong way right?" I asked plainly as Sarge stopped and turned to me looking frustrated. He was giving me the pissed off expression he gave Portman, and I was just praying he wasn't going to yell at me. I wasn't sure my head could take it.

"I am well aware of that Bones. I'm trying to get back to where we found Carmack." Sarge explained frowning at me. I took a moment to look at the hall markings on the corridors. I had no idea why Sarge wanted to go there but the way he was taking us was the long way.

"I know a short cut." I stated plainly looking up and down the corridor we were on.

"Then lead the way Marine." Sarge nodded for me to take the lead. I took a deep breath and headed down the end of the corridor and started to clear the way through my short cut. I kept my breathing even as I swept the corridors, Sarge behind me covering my ass as we moved. We were nearly there when Sarge spoke up making me jump slightly. "How's your head Bones?" He asked softly. I glanced at him over my shoulder to before moving on down the corridor to the dead end.

"Fine Sarge." I stated plainly. I had to focus on my surroundings more than Sarge and our little conversation. I knew the Imps moved fast, damn fast. The pounding in my head was the only reminder I needed of the danger we were in.

"I need the truth Bones." Sarge said firmly, putting his hand on my shoulder, turning me to face him. "I've got a feeling this is about to get real ugly. So I'll ask again, how is your head?" Sarge asked almost glaring at me as his eyes drilled into my skull. I shrugged his hand off my shoulder and stood straight.

"Sarge, I have a concussion. My skull constantly feels like my brain is trying to escape out of it. The stitches itch and I'm pretty sure it's infected too. However, I'm an Double-R-T-S member, I can shoot, I can fight, I can walk. I can serve and I pray for war, sir." I said firmly, looking Sarge dead in the eyes as he just stood there with that glare, weighing me up. I held my gaze with Sarge a good few minutes as he took in my whole appearance. My hair had was damp and tied into a high ponytail keeping most of my hair off my face apart from my fringe which fell over the large bandage above my right eye. I had bruising forming on my right cheek, a bust lip and I was still half covered in the crap from the sewers. My uniform was still damp and heavy to carry along with the aches and pains my body was feeling. Compared to how I looked when I first met Sarge I was a mess, but there was still fire inside me and I was not going to stop until we finished the mission.

"Ok then Bones, shall we?" Sarge asked nodding up to the spot we found Carmack in. I just nodded, leading the way, sweeping and clearing the space as we moved up the stairs. Sarge came from behind me and headed straight into the corner that Carmack was hiding in. I covered our back as Sarge lent down and picked up the hand that Carmack was chewing on when we found him.

"Sarge?" I asked watching as he tucked it in his belt.

"You'll see Bones, get me the fasted route to the Armoury." Sarge explained nodding for me to yet again take the lead. I paused for a moment planning my route in my head before setting off again.

* * *

><p>I led the way to the Armoury the fastest route I could plan. Thankfully we hadn't heard or seen anything. I took it as a small blessing and just prayed our luck held out.<p>

"You and John grew up here?" Sarge asked softly as we moved. The question threw me for a second, I was sure Sarge knew all too well about mine and John's connections to the planet.

"A few years yeah, him and Sam were my friends. Their parents and my father worked together." I confirmed keeping my eyes peeled as we moved. I really didn't want to get into it now, walking down blood soaked corridors.

"You and John ever more than friends?" Sarge asked as I faulted for a second. It wasn't the first time I'd been asked that. When we were in training, on leave people used to think that I was dating either John or Jumper. It had been a few years since anyone had asked me it though.

"He's like a brother to me, sir." I stated plainly refusing to rise to his bait. It wasn't a complete lie, John was like a brother to me, but at the same time a part of me had always wished there was more.

"If you say so Marine." Sarge commented and I let out a small sigh. "I hear you knew Jumper too." Sarge added as my breath caught in my throat. Jumpers death had been a big shock to me. I had taken some leave to process losing someone close to me again.

"Yes sir." I replied pushing away the feeling his name brought up.

"You've lost a lot around you, both John and yourself." Sarge continued as if he didn't realised how painful dragging up those memories were for me. "I'm glad to say it's made you into better soldiers."

"Thank you sir." I muttered refusing to get into any type of conversation with Sarge about my past or my relationship with Sam and John. We reached the doors to the Armoury and I looked to Sarge. He swiped his pass opening the doors as I ducked into the room, sweeping it for any signs of Imps or whatever the hell they were. I was surprised that the room was so well lit compared to most of the others places we had checked out. I figured the place must have had its own power supply.

"Clear." I snapped as Sarge fallowed me in, locking the doors behind us. I looked around at all the guns. There was plenty here, enough to arm us up for days at least. "This could be handy." I hummed out looking at the sprawl of weapons.

"Trust me Bones, you've not seen anything yet." Sarge beamed at me as he walked over to a door the far end of the room. I watched as Sarge swiped his card in the door lock system.

"_Please provide DNA verification._" The door asked in a female robotic voice. A panel opened up and Sarge took the severed hand, and placed it down on the scanner. "_Welcome, Patricia Tallman. Access granted._" The door went on as the locks started to move. I moved forward to get a better look as the doors opened and a massive gun floated in mid air.

"Sarge that's a-" I started to say when he cut me off.

"Big. Fucking. Gun." Sarge said what I was going to say anyway. He looked in awe of the gun for a few moments before walking into the room and picking it up. "Oh Shit!" Sarge said with the smallest of smirks holding this massive weapon in his hands.

"Any idea what it does?" I asked impressed with the size of the gun.

"No fucking clue, why don't we find ourselves some bastards to test it out on?" Sarge asked cocking an eyebrow as he looked over to me. Just holding the BFG seemed to put Sarge in a better mood.

"Sounds like a plan Sarge. Where to?" I asked just as our comms kicked in.

"_I've lost Portman on comms and all I've got on Destroyer is a wall._" Pinky's voice crackled in my ear piece. I glanced at Sarge and he nodded for me to take the lead.

"Portman, come in!" Sarge ordered as we made our way back to Destroyer and Portman's location as fast as we could. "Destroyer! Come in!" Sarge added as I felt a knot in my stomach for Destroyer, Portman I really couldn't give two rats asses about, but Destroyer was a good guy. I tightened my grip on my P90 and hoped that we could just get there in time. We double timed it to Destroyer and Portman's last know location but they weren't there. Sarge took the lead as he led me into a holding cell room, the one Portman had mentioned earlier. Destroyers chain gun laid on the floor alone. There was no sign of Portman at all.

"Pinky you got anything new?" I asked softly tapping my ear.

"_No Bones, just the same still._" Pinky sighed as I looked over to Sarge who was watching me.

"Destroyer, Portman, where the hell are you?" Sarge asked firmly, frowning at me when we got no answer. He nodded for us to continue into the holding cell. As soon as I walked in I could smell burning flesh. I held my breathe and held down the gagging feeling as we got closer to the edge. Both Sarge and I shone our lights down into the chamber, it was pitch black save from where our lights hit. It didn't take us long to find Destroyers body, dead in the middle of the chamber. It looked like he had been fighting one of those creatures- alone.

"Shit." I cursed shaking my head and looked round the top for any signs of where Portman might have gone to. In my head I had already painted a picture where Portman ran away from Destroyer being attacked and went to hide somewhere. I prayed the creatures had gotten him because from the look on Sarge's face, Portman was getting the better deal letting the damn creatures kill him off. Suddenly we heard screaming coming from the comms, it had to be Portman. I snapped my head to Sarge as we heard a faint sound of banging coming from a corridor. Sarge nodded, taking the lead with the BFG as I ran after him.

"_Pinky, you got Portman?_" Reaper asked as it sounded like they were heading to Portman's location too. All the while Portman's screams rang over the comms

"_No._" Pinky replied with a hint of a chuckle in his voice.

"_Contact!_" Reaper yelled as we turned the corridor, hearing Portman's screams coming from in front of us. Seconds later gun fire broke out, and as we entered the bathroom Sarge readied his gun. Portman was upside down swinging side to side, as the creature smashed him into the walls of the bathroom stalls. He was still screaming but looked in bad shape.

"Clear!" Sarge yelled firing the BFG. A blast of blue fire hit the wall where the creature was holding Portman and then spread to eat away at the walls. The impact was so bright, a blinding white light was given off and we all had to clear our eyes. "Holy Shit!" Sarge said in total awe of the gun as it continued to increase it's blast range. I moved over to Portman, the Kid right behind me. Some of the blast had caught Portman, his clothes were singed and smoking. I dropped to a knee and checked for a pulse, I really wasn't expecting to find one.

"Damn it." I muttered shaking my head as I looked up at the Kid.

"He's gone." The Kid informed Sarge and Reaper as I stood up and looked down at Portman. Sure the bastard was a major pain in the ass, sexist pig who deserved to have a hell of a beating. But seeing him dead, as a doctor, I couldn't help but feel the smallest amount of guilt. The guilt for not getting there faster, doing more. I pushed those feelings aside as I remembered Destroyer dying alone. In the matter of thirty minutes we had lost two men.

There was just five of us left, Sam and Pinky.


	14. Of Monsters And Men

Reaper took Portman and with some help from the Kid and me, Sarge carried Destroyer as we headed back to the medical labs. As we walked in Duke turned to us, instantly seeing Sarge carrying the big guy.

"Destroyer?" Duke asked looking scared. For the first time since meeting Duke I saw the lost little kid he really was inside. It broke my heart seeing his reaction to Destroyer.

"And Portman." Reaper added carrying the body in. No one really seemed to care about Portman. Destroyer was another story. Duke grabbed the top of his body and took him off Sarge.

"What the fuck happened man?" Duke asked instantly distraught, as he got the full weight of Destroyer. "I got him. I got him!" Duke cried out as he helped Destroyers body to the floor. Reaper carried Portman over to the other side of the room as me and Kid locked the door behind us. "I got you man, what's up man?" Duke was nearly in tears as he held his best friend, his brother's dead body. Sarge turned to see the Imp sticking out of the wall with an IV drip in its arm. The thing was still alive and snarling as he got closer. I walked over to the observation window and noticed the blood on the glass. It was the same as the blood in Carmack's system. Dark red with black grains in it.

"What the hell is this?" Sarge asked firmly to Sam. "And who's god damn blood is on that window?" He added pointing over to where I stood. I turned to Sam for an answer.

"Goats." Sam said in total shock. "He killed himself." She added.

"What do you mean he killed himself? He was already dead!" Sarge snapped as the Kid looked at everyone in shock and confusion.

"It's true. It's Goat." Duke added holding back tears as he cradled Destroyer. Sarge walked over to me as I looked back into the room the same time as he did. "He was changing into one of these motherfuckers and he killed himself!" Duke cried out as Goat's half transformed body laid on the ground, the blood seeping from his head wound.

"We found two more scientists at the dig." Reaper announced, as he took Portman's dog tags. "Thurman and a balding guy with glasses." Reaper went on as Sam walked over to him.

"Dr. Clay." Sam informed us as she started to examine Portman's neck. She was fascinated with Portman's neck and it was a little confusing to say the least.

"Sam?" I asked confused as I walked over to the twins.

"Did you check their necks?" She asked looking at Reaper then turned her attention to me. "Was there open wounds on their necks?" She asked me seriously. I glanced at Reaper for help.

"We were conducting a fire fight. Not an autopsy." Reaper replied plainly as he took what he could used from Portman's body. Spare ammo, medical kits, anything.

"We came up here to find six scientists. Four are known dead and Dr Willits is probably KIA somewhere down in that sewer." Sarge barked as Sam went and checked on Destroyers neck. "The only one missing is Dr Carmack. Has Dr Carmack shown up yet?" Sarge barked at Duke and Sam. Duke looked over his shoulder to Sarge.

"Oh he's shown up alright." Duke said bitterly. Sam got to her feet and pointed to the Imp trapped in the nano wall.

"Look at the left ear." She said calmly. We all turned and looked at the thing trapped in the door. It looked like Carmack's ear after he ripped it off. That thing was Carmack. I had a hand over my mouth as I took it all in.

"Son of a bitch." Sarge muttered under his breath.

"I think this one is Steve Willits." Sam added motioning to the other creature on the table. "I'm going to run the DNA check it against his medical records." She added standing by the table, looking at the thing. Sarge's eyes flashed with a rage as he stalked over to Sam.

"What are you people working on up here?!" He barked getting closer to Sam. I tightened my grip on my P90 and took a step closer to the pair.

"We're analysing bone, artefacts. We're not doing anything like this." Sam answered honestly. I noticed Reaper walk past me, and I caught the look on his face. He didn't completely trust the words coming from his sisters mouth. I'd seen the look before.

"Then what the fuck is that?!" Sarge barked making Sam and the Kid jump slightly as he pointed to the nano wall.

"It must be a genetic mutation, something environmental or viral." Sam answered trying her best to keep in control of the situation. "I don't know. It may even be reversible." Sam added with a small shrug. I paused for a moment, if she was right, we could make an antidote. Save people instead of just shooting everything that moved.

"It's irreversible." Sarge said with a look in his eyes. A look that made me uneasy, again I held my gun tightly.

"Not necessarily." Sam countered softly, unable to understand the look Sarge was giving her.

"Dr Carmack's condition... is irreversible..." Sarge said eerily calmly with his scary-drill-a-whole-in-your-skull stare. He pulled out his side arm and walked over to the Imp Carmack trapped in the nano door, and put his gun in his mouth.

"No!" Sam screamed as I rushed to her side and held her back as Sarge pulled the trigger killing the Imp Carmack in one shot. His body drooping against the wall.

"Because Carmack's condition is that..." Sarge said wiping the blood from the nuzzle of his gun. "He's dead." Sarge finished his sentence looking at me and Sam. Sam shrugged my hands off her as I just looked at Sarge in shock. I couldn't believe he had shot Carmack like that. There was a chance we could have saved him, all of the infected people. As a doctor, healing someone always came before killing them.

"Kid, you and Duke, get back to the dig and you make sure those other dead scientists are really dead." Sarge ordered looking over to the Kid who was just gob smacked about everything that happened. The Kid and Duke got up and headed out of the room, leaving me, Reaper, Sam and Sarge alone in the room with the dead bodies. Sarge turned his attention back to Sam. "I've lost... four soldiers." Sarge growled stalking towards me and Sam, his glare was locked on Sam with a rage that would break a man in twenty paces. Sam started to back away as he got level with me. "What are you people experimenting with up here?" He ground out his words as he loomed over Sam. Sam looked terrified, she couldn't move or speak. She just looked into his eyes. "I'm not going to ask you again." Sarge growled to Sam, prompting her to speak.

"I told you, it's an archaeological research centre." Sam answered, her voice shaking slightly. Sarge didn't answer, he just glared at her. "Do you think I'm lying? Is that what you're saying?" Sam asked quickly, the nerves getting the better of her. I really didn't like the way Sarge was looking at Sam. I took a quick glance to Reaper who was watching it all very carefully. Sam took a deep breath and over came her fear. "You think I'm hiding something? I'm telling the truth." She said as confidently as she could. She looked from Sarge to me, begging for someone to believe her. I nodded, I did believe her. I knew Sam too well to know her lies from her truth. Reaper walked up and Sam turned to him, begging him to believe her too.

"What were you downloading?" Reaper asked firmly, he still looked like he didn't completely believe his sister. "What were you sent to protect?" He asked looking straight to his sister.

"The research data!" Sam snapped back, annoyed at how her brother distrusted her at a time like this. If I was perfectly honest, I was pissed at John for it too.

"Research into what?" He asked carefully but menacingly at the same time.


	15. Genesis:1

Sam grabbed one of the memory chips and placed it in the reader loading it up on the screen for us to watch. We gathered around the screen as it flickered on. Reaper stood on the far right, next to Sam, I stood next to her with Sarge on my left. I wasn't letting him get near Sam again unless she deserved it. The video played, it was Carmack injecting a man with something. He gave a audio description over the top.

"_Subject was injected with study agent at 00:03." _The voice over explained. The man strapped down struggled against the injection. "_Vitals normal, elevated heart rate attributable to subject anxiety._" The explanation went on as the man got more violent in his struggles. "_C-24 successfully grafted to subject's marker cells at 00:09._"

"This is just..." I shook my head as we watched it all unfold. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing, what it all implied.

"He reconstructed chromosome mutation on a human subject." Reaper explained as I just shook my head again in disgust.

"We were never going to do human studies." Sam protested looking to me and Sarge to believe her.

"What the hell are we looking at?" Sarge asked confused as we watched the man struggle against his restraints, clearly he was in a lot of pain. Reaper grunted shaking his head before he answered Sarge.

"Genesis, chapter 1." Reaper sighed out as I watched the man's stats start to change.

"_Subject moved to protected observation area at 00:17. Subject: Curtis Stahl. Crime: Multiple murder. Status: Condemned to execution._" I watched as his heart rate increased, along with brain wave responses and other markers. Stahl screamed an almost inhuman scream as his skin became red and blotchy. His body was mutating in front of our eyes. It was horrible to watch. Sam brushed past Reaper and picked up a small vile of something.

"Chromosome 24." She stated looking over to me and Reaper. We knew exactly what that meant.

"Oh, my god." Reaper said softly as we watched the Chromosome do it's stuff.

"_49 minutes after injection, genetic mutations began to visually manifest on subject's extremities._" Carmack documented as Stahl's hand turned into a claw for lack of a better word. Sam and Reaper looked away as I studied the mutations appearing on his body. They were all the mutations we had seen on the different infected bodies. The deformities were horrifying, no two seemed to manifest the same symptoms. Reaper shook his head as he took out the memory chip, Sam looked away.

"This is what you're here to protect." Reaper sighed pacing away from us all.

"It doesn't make any sense." Sam said shaking her head still

"You trusted them, they lied to you." I said softly, making eye contact with Sam.

"They used you Sam." Reaper added just as softly.

"If he perfected xenogenesis-" Sam started to argue. I frowned at Sam, I knew what she was going to say, but this was a damn high price to pay for perfection. How many people had died already? How many more before we got out of this hell?

"Christ. Don't you get it?" Reaper asked looking at his sister as he shook his head. "It's this place, it's Hell. It always was..." He glanced at me as I looked down to the ground. All three of us knew exactly what place this was. "Shit ends here." He said firmly as I looked up. He walked past me and picked up three other memory chips.

"What are you doing?" Sarge asked walking up to the side of me.

"We need to destroy these disks." Reaper said firmly holding all four in his hands.

"That's UAC property." Sarge said plainly.

"Well fuck UAC, we take this back they'll just-" Reaper said holding them out as Sarge just snatched them out of his hand.

"We take the data back." Sarge said firmly.

"Sarge, it's dangerous. Look at the people we've lost for this shit." I said looking over to Sarge hoping to get through to him.

"I know exactly what the cost of these are Sargent. I don't need a reminder. We make sure these get back to UAC, that those deaths aren't for nothing." Sarge glared at me for questioning him.

"Sarge do you not see what's going on here?" Reaper asked looking at Sarge like he was mental.

"I didn't see shit!" Sarge snapped back. "I ain't paid to see shit. I have my orders, and so do you two." Sarge looked at the pair of us as I glanced at Reaper. "Is this everything?" Sarge asked looking over to Sam. Sam stumbled over her words as she tried to find the right answer. "I said! Is this everything?!" Sarge snapped at Sam.

"I, have three more to download." She finally found her words but they were not the ones I hoped she would say.

"Then do it." Sarge growled at her with a look that could kill. Sam started downloading the data as Sarge paced up and down. I shared a look with Reaper, we both knew the dangers of the data on the chips. We both knew they needed destroying, not returning to UAC. But Sarge was the problem, he couldn't, no wouldn't let himself see the horror. He just fallowed his orders to the letter. I let out a small sigh and looked over to the screens Sam was working on.

"_Sarge we got a problem, one of the dead scientists is missing._" Kid's voice came through the comms as Sarge looked back to me and Reaper. I was reading the screens, the bits of information that passed the screens as Sam was downloading it all to the chips. I was grasping some of it, but not everything.

"Now." Sarge ordered to us. I looked from Sam who was busy working to Reaper, I did not like the idea of leaving Sam alone. Not now we could be out numbered. Sarge started to walk off up the stairs.

"You just want to leave her here?" Reaper asked Sarge. In response Sarge sighed, turning to look as we surrounded Sam.

"She's got a job to do." Sarge replied cocking the shotgun as Reaper went into his pocket and pulled something out.

"Look, this is Portman's comm, you call if you need help ok?" Reaper asked, passing Sam the headset. Sam looked at the headset, she still seemed pretty shaken up from all the crap Sarge had given her. "You going to be alright?" He asked softly as Sam looked over to her brother. Sam took a deep breath and pulled on that Grimm tradition of stowing all the crap deep down inside so she could get the job done.

"I'll be fine." She said looking from Reaper to me. She sounded and looked more determined than a few seconds before.

"You better be." I teased with a sad smile.

"Ok, we'll see you soon." Reaper said with a quick nod as we fell in behind Sarge.


End file.
